Updates

FCWPP Public Policy Work Plan: 2013

Approved January 18, 2013

1. Criminal Justice

a. Goals:

    1. Give priority to efforts to repair the harm suffered by victims over attempts to punish offenders

 

    1. Identify and address the causes of crime

 

    1. Replace costly incarceration for both juvenile and adult offenders through diversion, drug treatment, job training, and education whenever appropriate

 

    1. Redress the racial inequity of our current criminal justice system

 

    1. Support offenders’ efforts to redeem themselves and reintegrate into society

   

b. Objectives:

    1. Restorative Justice
        1. Support educational programs on restorative justice statewide

       

        1. Support increased use of restorative justice programs as options for diversion of juvenile offenders in jurisdictions statewide

       

 

    1. Sentencing Reform and increased support for re-entry
        1. Repeal the Death Penalty

       

        1. Support educational opportunities, including higher education, for prisoners

       

        1. Develop a program for earned release based on a sentence review board

       

        1. Reform prison conditions and opportunities at reentry

       

 

    1. Gun Violence
        1. Explore avenues to address gun violence such as resolving victim-offender tensions; gun control; providing for persons with mental health and personality problems; and providing training for life skills, responsibility, and respect to juveniles at risk

       

 

    1. Drug Law Reform
        1. Educate legislators and public about racial disparities in arrests and prosecution

       

 

c. Issues to monitor and support as needed

    1. Reform three strikes law

 

    1. Treat marijuana abuse as a public health issue

 

    1. Align voter registration form with voting rights restoration law

 

2. Equality and Economic Justice, including Health Care

a. Goals:

    1. Protect the safety net for economically or physically challenged state residents, permitting them to be healthier contributors to their communities

 

    1. Prevent levels of disparity in wealth and opportunity that lead to social dysfunction and increased criminal activity

 

    1. Create and maintain programs, systems, and institutions required to keep people in good physical health

 

b. Objectives:

    1. Health and Health Care:>
        1. Support increased access to health care by supporting Medicaid expansion (will cover families with incomes up to 138% FPL)

       

        1. Maintain or increase support for women’s health and family planning

       

        1. Maintain or increase support for child and maternity care

       

        1. Oppose any reduction of Medical Care Services (formerly Disability Lifeline), documenting the costs of not maintaining these programs

       

        1. Support the need for Navigators to help people use the Health Benefits Exchange to access health care

       

 

    1. Support full funding of safety net programs
        1. Maintain cash grants ($197/month) for eligible disabled adults, increase if possible

       

        1. Maintain State Food Assistance, increase if possible

       

 

    1. Tax reform: Reform the state tax structure to be more equitable and to create revenue needed to restore and retain basic services like those described above
        1. Continue active work as part of the revenue coalition: Our Economic Future

       

        1. Close special interest tax loopholes and regularly review such targeted benefits

       

 

    1. Support each state resident having increased ability to realize her or his full potential by fully funding K-12 education >for all students.

 

c. Issues to monitor and support as needed

    1. Encourage development of a Basic Health Option

 

    1. Support early childhood >(pre-school) education

 

    1. Support reduced drug and alcohol abuse by encouraging use of the Harm-Reduction and Intervention model

 

    1. Support the Housing Trust Fund

 

    1. Support a tax on incomes

 

3. Local Responses to Global Challenges

a. Goals:

    1. Maintain the environmental balance that supports the needs of all living creatures while also protecting public health and providing an improved quality of life

 

    1. Ensure an improved economic future by not wasting or compromising our environmental resources

 

    1. Support peace by supporting policies that redirect resources from military efforts to achieving livable communities

 

    1. Provide local control over state assets to increase state resources

 

b. Objectives:

    1. Preserve and enhance environmental protections
        1. Seek to protect global climate stability without adding ports and the use of rails for the transmission of coal

       

        1. Advocate energy generation methods with the least impact on the environment

       

 

    1. Establish a state financial institution

 

    1. Support state legislative memorials calling for reductions in the Pentagon’s budget, redirecting billions of dollars from overseas wars to human needs in the states

 

    1. Redirect funds allocated for military expansion such as the wharf at Bangor toward care for wounded veterans and cleanup of Hanford or other Superfund sites.

 

c. Issues to monitor and support as needed:

    1. Develop multimodal transportation options that reduce contribution to climate change

 

    1. Promote peace education including the study of nonviolence, communications skills, and conflict resolution

 

    1. Support parental right to opt out of having their students’ names sent to military recruiters and the selective service

 

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