The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this last of two public conversations on the current process of electing local public officials, with a look at how municipalities around the country elect their public officials.

Panelists include Professor John Chamberlin, Professor Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Lawrence Kestenbaum, Washtenaw County Clerk; and Professor Joseph Ohren, Eastern Michigan University, Political Science Department.

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

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this discussion of the May 5 Ballot Proposal, “A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government caused by the elimination of the sales/use tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicles operating on public roads, and to give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.”

Susan Smith, President, League of Women Voters of Michigan, lead the discussion, which aimed to provide information on the proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution and on new laws that would be triggered by the amendment's approval. The presentation includes information on how state revenue would be increased and how it would be spent, and discussion of pros and cons of passing the legislation.

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

Jim Mogensen, community activist, and Mary Browning, have both worked with ICPJ and have been actively involved with the Racial and Economic Justice Task Force since its inception in the early 1990s.

Beyond South U: Where Students Live and Vote in Ann Arbor
While we all think we know where U of M students live, it’s harder to find out than you’d think. Austen and Pat go through their method of coming up with a solid picture, and discuss what this means for students and residents alike every election cycle in Ann Arbor.

About Austen Hufford and Pat Sier:
Austen and Pat are U of M seniors studying economics and public policy respectively. Austen will be working in journalism this summer at the Wall Street Journal and Pat will be working in Chicago at a marketing technology company. Find Austen on twitter: @austenhufford

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this public conversation on the current process of electing local public officials. This session will explored both the strengths and weaknesses of our current system, and discussed such issues as voter turn-out, student participation, and cost in terms of both dollars and effort of running for office, independent candidates, and other related topics.

Panelists included David Askins, former Editor of the Ann Arbor Chronicle; Lou Belcher, former Mayor of Ann Arbor; and Jean Carlberg, former City Council Member.

Grace Helms-Kotre discusses working at ICPJ with the goal of effecting global change by working locally. She and Chuck Warpehoski talk about being part of an interfaith organization, organizing the CROP Walk, opposing the School of the Americas, and other experiences and initiatives.

John Powell got involved with ICPJ soon after arriving to the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area in 1974. Already active in social justice and civil rights issues, Powell discusses the role of ICPJ as an instrument of both action and support as his interest and activities branched out into several related areas, including protests over the University of Michigan's involvement in South Africa, advocating for divestiture, and raising awareness of Apartheid.

Ruth Kraut and Joe Summers talk about their motivation for first getting involved with ICPJ - Middle East, women's, and racial and ethnic issues for Ruth, and Latin American human rights issues for Joe. Both discuss the changes to ICPJ over the years, from its birth during the Vietnam era and its relative successes and failures in finding common ground on different topics, such as LGBT issues, as it evolved over the years.

In this episode, Rebecca Kanner, Gregory Fox, Tobi Hanna-Davies, Mary Anne Perrone, and Richard Stahler-Shulk discuss their involvement in various ICPJ projects and activities relating to central American issues over the years.

Tobi Hanna-Davies talks about her leadership and involvement in the Women's Action for Nuclear Disarmament during 1980s

Gregory Fox discusses his involvement with the Latin American Solidarity Committee and in establishing a Sister City program in Nicaragua

Rebecca Kanner talks about her involvement with the Latin American Task Force and some of the activities she's helped with over the years, from clothing drives to demonstrations and lobbying.

Mary Anne Perrone talks about hunger and describes their successful 1991 protest over Tom Monaghan's efforts to raise money to build a cathedral in Nicaragua with a $500-a-plate dinner by staging a 5-cent-a-plate dinner of rice and beans.

Richard Stahler-Shulk. a Latin American scholar and Eastern Michigan University professor, talks about his dual role as an academic and activist

Peter Boeve, former pastor of Ann Arbor's Northside Presbyterian Church, was able to explore areas of his interest, including medicine and agriculture, through involvement with ICPJ. He recounts his work attempting to integrate faith with dialogue about social issues and change and how ICPJ has helped to expand his world.