At the end of the day we must go forward with hope and not backward by fear and division." - Jesse Jackson
12/7 Is Your Last Chance to VOTE!
If you've already cast your vote in the Special Unitary Election to fill the balance of Tommy Hazouri's Council term, you deserve a good citizenship award! As of this morning, less than 7% of Jacksonville voters had weighed in on this important choice. Yet our city government makes decisions that strongly impact our daily lives - from trash collection to public safety, downtown/riverfront development, and much more.
If you haven't voted, or know people who have not, be sure you (and they) make the time to go to the polls this Tuesday, 12/7 between 7 AM and 7 PM.
And if you're one of the many BAM members who've worked to support Trayce Polson's candidacy, her campaign is holding an Election Night Celebration 7-10 PM at Ruby Beach Brewing downtown. More info here.
Tuesday, 12/7 - FL Legislative Kickoff Zoom
From 4-5 PM this Tuesday, Florida Indivisible is holding a state-wide strategy session with featured guests Rep. Anna Eskamani and Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith. If you're interested in being part of BAM's legislative efforts, come hear their advice on how progressive groups like ours can focus and prioritize our efforts and work together in the upcoming session. And then email us with your thoughts on what BAM's priorities should be. Register here.
Thursday, Dec 9 - BAM Holiday Party
Is Redistricting Keeping You Awake Nights?
If the redrawing of voting districts is not one of the monsters under your bed, it should be. As this excellent explainer from WCJT lays out, the voting boundaries being mapped now at the national, state & local level will affect our votes on everything from President to individual City Council seats -- for the next 10 years.
At the state level, the Senate's draft maps were fairer than expected, the House maps worse. This latest offering from The Tributary explains one glaring gap in those House maps. Stay tuned for more details when legislative action resumes in January.
Here in Jacksonville, expect three public hearings in January when citizens can weigh in on the current drafts of the city's districts. To prepare for those, save this date:
Thursday, December 16 - 5:30-7:30 PM at Jesse Ball Dupont Center. Redistricting: A Citizen's Guide. Click here to learn more.
Support Emergency Rental Assistance for Florida Families
Representative Angie Nixon from Duval District 14 is calling out Governor DeSantis on the state's failure to submit a plan to Washington that could provide millions in badly needed support to Florida families. Click here to read and sign onto her letter.
Advocacy Matters - Even When No One Seems To Be Listening
With Senators Rubio & Scott representing us in Washington it's often difficult to muster the energy to contact them on issues we care about. This week is one time to set aside your preconceptions and just do it. Joe Biden's Build Back Better bill is widely popular and deserves our support. And with abortion rights under attack at all levels, this is another issue we need to actively champion.
As our friends at Mandarin Indivisible put it: "The House has passed the Build Back Better Act! Call Rubio and Scott today - they won't vote for it, but need to feel the pressure from their constituents anyway. They also need relentless pressure regarding protecting a women's right to choose!
Mandarin has provided a script to make this easy. Modify it as you like, but take the time to be counted:
"Hi, I'm a constituent calling from [zip]. The Senate needs to Pass the Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) to address the climate catastrophe, help our undocumented population, reduce health care costs, and help families with child and eldercare. It also needs to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act (S.1975) to codify Roe v Wade into law. This should get done before you go on recess - the Senate needs to stay in session until this critical legislation has been passed."
Coming Events For Your Crowded Calendar
Monday, December 13 - 6:30 PM. Atlantic Beach Atlantic Beach Commission will be considering a resolution to support the Waterways Commission urging actions to stop the shipping of coal ash on the St. Johns River and Jax ports. The resolution would be sent to the city of Jacksonville. More on this issue.
Tuesday, December 14 - 7:30 PM. Mandarin Indivisible Zoom. Meet Marcia Pledger, TU's Opinion & Engagement Editor. Click to register or submit a question.