LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS BEDFORD

LEWISBORO

NORTH SALEM

February 2014 Newsletter COMING UP Sat 3/1:

Lewisboro Library Volunteer Fair 11am-1pm, Lewisboro Library Tues 3/11: March Board Meeting 9:30am, Bedford Village Library Sat 3/29: New York State League Workshops 10am-4pm, Cold Spring Harbor Library Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island ~~ REMINDER ~~

*All members are welcome to attend monthly board meetings. It’s a great way to stay informed about our league’s ideas, decisions, programs, and events. The more the merrier!

~~~~~~~ *If you owe a dues payment, please send a check to our membership chair, Kay Tyler, at 208 Harris Rd, HB4, Bedford Hills, NY 10507. If you have questions about your membership, Kay can be reached at [email protected] or 241-8515.

CO-PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

-- Lisa Pizzurro

BEDFORD-LEWISBORO-NORTH SALEM LEAGUE NEWS STUDENTS INSIDE ALBANY: Our League is partnering with the neighboring New Castle League to send two students to the LWVNY Students Inside Albany conference this May. This is our chapter’s first time participating in the program, which we hope will grow into an established annual BLNS event; it is a wonderful opportunity for students who are interested in state government. More details in next month’s newsletter. PRESS CONFERENCE: Chapter co-president Katherine Flannery Dering participated in a press conference held by State Assemblyman David Buchwald in White Plains; the occasion was a change made by the New York State DMV to make it easier for a woman to use her maiden name instead of her middle name on her driver’s license. It will now only require a marriage certificate to make the change. Previously, the process was similar to changing a first name, and would often involve lengthy periods in court, which can be time-consuming and expensive. Speakers included State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Professional Women of Westchester Vice President Rose Colonna, American Association of University Women Westchester Branch President Jane Pendergast, Women’s Enterprise Development Center Executive Director Anne Janiak, Woman’s Club of White Plains President Susan Rade Doherty, White Plains Mayor Tom Roach, White Plains councilwoman Beth Smayda and our own Katherine Flannery Dering, who spoke briefly about her frustration when denied the ability to use her maiden name as her middle name on her driver’s license 40 years ago. Danielle DiBiase Esposito, a resident of Buchwald's district in Westchester, brought her paperwork with her in order to change her name immediately after the conference. Buchwald investigated the process when his fiancé complained about the difficulty of retaining her maiden name after their impending marriage. He negotiated with DMV officials, who finally agreed that the process made sense and changed their policies. Though the law does focus predominately on women, Buchwald said that the privileges will also extend to same-sex married couples regardless of either person's gender or sexual identity. LEWISBORO LIBRARY VOLUNTEER FAIR: Co-presidents Katherine Flannery Dering and Lisa Pizzurro will be “wo-manning” a table at the Lewisboro Library’s Volunteer Fair on Saturday, March 1, from 11 until 1. The fair provides an opportunity for the community to learn about the various volunteer organizations in town and their respective volunteer/membership opportunities. WORKSHOPS: Members are encouraged to attend a day of LWVNY workshops on Saturday, March 29, from 10 until 4. Unfortunately, the offering closest to us here in northern Westchester is in Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island…but we do already have one member signed up and want to let everyone know about the opportunity. Workshops include: Leadership; Advocacy & Issues; Candidate Forums; Visibility; Membership; and Vote 411. The cost is $10 and includes lunch. See the link in the LWVNY section of this newsletter for more information.

LWVUS NEWS STOP ‘DARK MONEY’: The IRS has proposed significant changes in the regulations that govern what kind of political activity--and how much of that activity--a Section 501(c)(4) organization can carry out. This step is our best chance to reign in the secret “dark money” that has been polluting our elections since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling. At the same time, however, the current proposal would actually undermine the League’s ability to conduct truly non-partisan voter service activities across the country. Unfortunately, the current IRS proposal as it stands would jeopardize our work because it does not provide any exception for true non-partisan voter service activities such as ours. The National League is asking members across the country to speak out on this. For those of you interested in doing so, please use the link below, and copy and paste the following into the comments box: The IRS must stop the “dark money” polluting our elections. Don’t back off. We have seen too much abuse by fly-by-night 501(c)(4) organizations and it is harming our democracy. We need real transparency and tough rules to stop “candidate-related political activity” by these organizations. At the same time, the current IRS proposal must be changed to make sure that truly nonpartisan voter service activities by the League of Women Voters can continue. The existing standards currently applied to 501(c)(3) organizations governing nonpartisan election activities should also be applied to (c)(4) organizations. Link: http://www.regulations.gov/index.jsp#!submitComment;D=IRS-2013-0038-0001 IMPROVING VOTER ACCESS: At least 21 states have established or are in the process of establishing online voting systems. While the League supports these efforts and is encouraged that states are updating their processes to meet the needs of modern society, there are real concerns about making sure these advancements apply to all eligible voters. The League is specifically concerned about eligible voters being left out of the process due to the fact that almost every state involved requires a driver’s license or state-issued ID card. As a result, millions of eligible voters who lack these forms of identification are unable to use the systems. As always, the League is committed to ensuring that elections are free, fair and accessible. PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON ELECTION ADMINISTRATION: The League responded positively to the report on improving elections by the Presidential Commission on Election Administration (PCEA). Some points of the report include: 1) establishing a benchmark that no voter wait longer than 30 minutes to vote—and putting processes in place to ensure that; 2) a call for online voter registration; 3) a recommendation that the DMV transmit voter information to election officials electronically; and 4) the need to professionalize the election workforce. While the League added its concerns about online registration (mentioned above in the previous section of this newsletter), it feels that its members can use key parts of the PCEA report in their ongoing efforts to improve the voting process and protect voters. Link: lwv.org/press-releases/commission-recommends-election-changes-congressionalhearing

LWVNY NEWS TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT: The New York State League of Women Voters joined the Brennan Center for Justice, Common Cause, NYPIRG and other good government groups in support of Assembly Bill A2097-B and State Senate Bill S3046-B, requiring that committee and floor votes be made available online and that session and committee meetings be webcast. Link: http://www.lwvny.org/advocacy/gov-reform/transparency/2014/Memo-SupportA2097_S3046_2.pdf WORKSHOPS: The State League is holding workshops for local league members at various locations around the state: Albany, Rochester, Binghamton, and Long Island. There is a $10 fee, which covers the cost of lunch. The Cold Spring Harbor location on Long Island is the closest to us and the date for that is Saturday, March 29. Workshops run from 10 until 4; registrations are being accepted up until one week before each event, so forms for the 29th would need to be received by March 21 or 22. The link to workshop descriptions and the registration form is provided below; feel free to contact Lisa with any questions: [email protected]. Link: http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/110270476632368/REgistration+Form+LL+Training+Spring+2014.pdf EXECUTIVE BUDGET: The State League presented testimony before the Joint Legislative Committee on the 2014-2015 Executive Budget in the areas of Public Protection (campaign finance reform and election reform), elementary and secondary education finance, and taxes. (See the links below.) The State League also participated in a press conference with other good government groups to encourage the Governor and legislature to keep all parts of campaign finance reform in the budget. The State League encourages members to contact their state legislators on the subject. The window of opportunity for this action with regard to the budget is relatively small, so if you choose to take action, please do so between now and the end of March. Links: Public Protection: http://www.lwvny.org/advocacy/election-law/campaign-financereform/2014/testimony-pub-protection-budget-hearing_2014.pdf Education Finance: http://www.lwvny.org/advocacy/education/2014/ed-financetestimony_0114.pdf Taxes: http://www.lwvny.org/advocacy/gov-reform/taxes/2014/Taxes-Budget-HearingTestimony.pdf Press Release: http://www.lwvny.org/advocacy/election-law/campaign-financereform/2014/feb/Coalition-Press-CFR-budget_0214.pdf What you can do: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs102/1102704766323/archive/1116533852686.html

TAKE ACTION! IRS: http://www.regulations.gov/index.jsp#!submitComment;D=IRS-2013-0038-0001 Campaign Finance Reform: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs102/1102704766323/archive/1116533852686.ht ml Workshops: http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/110270476632368/REgistration+Form+LL+Training+Spring+2014.pdf

CONTACT INFORMATION LWVUS: Phone: 202-429-1965; fax: 202-429-0854 Website: www.lwv.org Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/leagueofwomenvoters LWVNY: Phone: (518) 465-4162; fax:(518) 465-0812

Website: www.lwvny.org

LWV Westchester: Phone: 914-949-0507; fax 914- 997-9354 Website: www.watpa.org/lwv email: [email protected] Our Local League, LWVBLNS: PO Box 584, Goldens Bridge, NY 10526 Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lwvblns/home Email: [email protected] Co-Presidents: Katherine Flannery Dering [email protected]; 234-7599 and Lisa Pizzurro [email protected]; 533-2609 VP & Voter Service: Harry MacLaughlin [email protected] Membership Chair: Kay Tyler

[email protected]

Secretary: Diana Richter [email protected] Treasurer: Barbara Kravitz [email protected] Webmaster: Bea Rhodes

[email protected]

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.