UU FA Office

Sussex Co: Join us in protecting our parklands

by UU FA Office

This month the National Park Service will be accepting public input regarding the Susquehanna to Roseland 500 kV Transmission Line Right-of-Way and Special Use Permit.  The Green Sanctuary Committee of the UU Fellowship of Sussex County (Newton) has been opposing this expansion proposal for the past two years because of the harm it will do to the environment of northwest New Jersey and to our treasured parklands.

We’ve provided information the UULMNJ’s Environment Task Force, asking other New Jersey UUs to submit comments on this matter.  Public input will be accepted until January 31.  Click here for more information.

National Park Service seeking input on Susquehanna-Roseland 500 kV power lines

by UU FA Office

The following information is being forwarded from the UULMNJ Environmental Justice Task Force. It has particular implications for our northern New Jersey congregations.  Comments are being accepted until Jan. 31st.

This month the National Park Service will be accepting public input regarding the Susquehanna to Roseland 500 kV Transmission Line Right-of-Way and Special Use Permit.  The Green Sanctuary Committee of the UU Fellowship of Sussex County (Newton) has been opposing this expansion proposal for the past two years because of the harm it will do to the environment of northwest New Jersey and to our treasured parklands.  They have joined forces with the NJ Sierra Club and an organization called Save the Park.  Attached is a sample letter,  which their Green Sanctuary Committee has recently sent to NPS, urging the National Park Service not to allow the Susquehanna-Roseland power line expansion project to be built on National Park land.  The National Park Service is accepting public comments through January 31.

People who want to make individual comments should do so on the NPS website.  They do not need to go into all the detail in the sample letter.  The main point of comments should be to urge the NPS to choose the “no build” option.  The web address to post comments is http://parkplanning.nps.gov/dewa.

Any group wanting to submit a formal letter should mail it as a hard copy to the Denver NPS address in the press release pasted below and in our attached letter.  According to the NPS, “public comment is extremely important.”  There will also be three public meetings in late January at which the public can make comments.  Each will have an “open house” from 2:30-4:30, followed by a public hearing from 6-9:00pm.  The locations and dates are listed near the end of the NPS press release regarding this topic.

The next step, after the public comment period ends is for the NPS to analyze all the public comments.  This information will be used to select a “preferred alternative” and finalize its “EIS” (Environmental Impact Statement), which is anticipated to be released to the public in the fall of 2012.  If the NPS chooses “no build,” the power companies will be denied the right to follow the path of the existing towers that go through park land, and the power line expansion project will at least be delayed.  The longer the delay, the better the chance the powers that be will come to realize this is an unnecessary, environmentally damaging, and overly expensive “upgrade.”

Support the DEP Waiver Resolution

by UU FA Office
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UULMNJ’s Environment Task Force is working with the New Jersey Enviornmental Federation to keep regulations protecting our environment in place.

In March, the New Jersey Department of Enviornmental Protection proposed establishing procedures for the waiver of department rules that would allow companies to circumvent over 100 guidelines that protect our water, air and land.

Senators Barbara Buono and Robert Gordon introduced a Senate resolution (SCR239), and Assemblypersons Peter Barnes, Reed Gusciora, and John McKeon introduced the same resolution (ACR206) in the Assembly, putting forth that the proposed rules  to establish a waiver of the DEP rules are not consistent with the intent of the Legislature.

The DEP waiver resolution passed the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee on December 8 and now waits to be posted for a vote before the New Jersey Senate and Assembly.  This legislative session will end soon, and there is only one voting session left, on January 9.

Take action now to stop this attempt to roll back environment regulations by asking Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver to post the DEP Waiver Resolution (SCR239/ACR206) on the January 9th session.

Senate President Steve Sweeney
(856) 251-9801
SenSweeney@njleg.org

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver
(973) 395-1166
AswOliver@njleg.org

Statements on Occupy Wall Street and a Faithful Budget

by UU FA Office

UUA President the Rev. Peter Morales issued a statement on Occupy Wall Street and accompanying protests around the country. The statement says, in part: “Unitarian Universalism embodies a long tradition of working for economic justice and workers’ rights. Today is another opportunity for us to live our faith, and the Occupy protests are a first step on the road to repairing our country. “I reach out to Unitarian Universalists everywhere to consider how you might be of service to any among us who are struggling to provide for their families, those who have been cheated and abused by financial institutions, and all those whose backs ache under a burden of debt, unemployment, and fading hope. Let the world see the power of our faith in action.” http://www.uua.org/news/pressroom/pressreleases/188405.shtml.

UUA Witness Ministries Director the Rev. Craig Roshaven also issued a statement on Occupy Wall Street announcing his participation in a national prayer vigil –  a Super Vigil – urging the Congressional Super Committee to develop a proposal for a “faithful budget.”

Read a sermon by the Rev. Charles Ortman, of the Unitarian Universalist Church at Monclair, “Occupy Main Street.”

Read the statement recently issued by UULMNJ’s Economic Justice Task Force.

Occupy Wall Street Statement

by UU FA Office

The 99% of Us are 100% Committed to Change

In just two months, the Occupy Wall Street movement has spread across the country and across the globe, a public outcry of frustration and anger. Thousands have taken to the streets to protest an economic system that has cast most people aside – from the weakest and most vulnerable to the ever-shrinking middle class – while showering exorbitant profits on an elite few.

Some have tried to portray OWS as a rag-tag group of hippie wannabes and the homeless, but over time these protesters have come to represent the overwhelming majority of Americans, and of citizens in many lands. As Unitarian Universalists, we see Occupy Wall Street as an important messenger to the world, waking us up to the fact that these economic inequities are not only unethical, but that they place all of us in great peril if they continue unchecked. See http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2011/10/occupy-wall-street-spreads-worldwide/100171/

The Occupy Wall Street slogan of the 99% against the 1% has reframed the issue facing Americans. Having vast economic power in the hands of just a few is not about taxes, it’s about the impact of our economic policies, the inequities they have created, the positive, life-affirming values they eschew, and the havoc this is wreaking on the very fabric of American society.

Since 1990, CEO pay has increased 298.2% and S&P 500 profits have increased 141.4%, yet average production worker pay has only increased 4.3% and the federal minimum wage dropped by 9.3%. Adjusted for inflation, average hourly earnings haven’t increased in 50 years, yet the top 1% of wage-earners hold a higher share of total pre-tax income than any time since 1928, just before the Great Depression hit. Not surprisingly, the United States now ranks 93rd in income equality, below Egypt, India, China, Russia and Iran, according to the Central Intelligence Agency.  See http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Analysis/Outside-View/2011/11/22/Outside-View-Occupy-Wall-Street-put-nation-on-notice/UPI 81901321961640/?dailybrief

Unitarian Universalists believe in common decency and in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, and in the democratic process. We have been called upon to support these core values in our communities, resulting in activism throughout American history, from the abolitionist movements to civil rights, women’s rights and gay rights. See http://www.uua.org/beliefs/index.shtml

The impact of the 1% “power elite” on Washington is not only inequitable, but unsustainable. It threatens our economic viability and our role as a beacon of hope and justice throughout the world. We need to wake up, find common ground and take action: By becoming informed and informing others; by depending on reliable information sources like, the Pulitzer prize winning PolitiFacts; by standing beside NJ OWS protesters in Trenton, Morristown, Princeton, Atlantic City, Jersey City, and Newark; by voting down inordinate CEO salaries and demanding greater accountability from board members; by writing your assembly representatives and senators and demanding they be courageous politically and compromise (See http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp); by demanding changes in government policy regarding financial market practices.

Fight Tax Giveaways to Corporations

by UU FA Office
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This issue is before us as a result of concerns that valuable “social safety net” programs in welfare, health, education and affordable housing may suffer funding cuts as new line items aimed at reducing taxes to corporations are promoted. Based on the history of the Christie administration’s approach to fiscal matters, if certain proposed bills are enacted into law the consequences for state funding on issues that matter to UULMNJ can be serious. In the short term Governor Christie may actually be our ally and veto such bills, but we cannot rely on that happening.

There are 2 bills in particular that concern us:
S1885/A3667  – corporation business tax for interest
S1949/A2767 – partial energy/utility sales tax exemption

Each of these has passed the NJ Senate and had a fiscal note attached. If you want to see them, please go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/billsbynumber.asp. Each of these sounds plausible because there are potentially good causes behind them. However, each of these would in fact cause taxes to go down for the beneficiaries. That would hurt overall state revenues and state spending cuts would be inevitable in today’s environment. Each one is judged by us to be job-neutral, meaning not create any jobs. Fiscal impact on the NJ Treasury is that S1949 will cost $34.1million and S1885 is indeterminate per the fiscal notes by Office Legislative Service. Status of these bills is:

A3667 – referred to Assembly Commerce and Economic Development committee 1/6/11
A2767 – referred to Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities committee 11/10/11

Your focus needs to be on your 2 Assemblypersons since these bills have already passed the Senate. All could be approved by Assembly committees and get to a final vote lightning fast (we have seen that many times).

What the EJTF is asking you to do is:

  1. Contact your Assemblyperson with this message: Vote NO on S1885/A3667 and S1949/2767.  This can best be done by an in-person meeting (not possible for many of them since they will be back in session this week), calling their Trenton office or sending it via the NJ Legislative website (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp). We must reach the Assemblypersons ASAP or this effort will not be effective, as in early December Assembly legislative sessions and committee meetings are scheduled.
  2. Elaborate on the simple message above that tax incentives for corporations have unintended consequences on other programs, particularly the “social safety net.”
  3. Provide a report on outcome of any feedback from your legislator to the contacts for the subcommittee of EJTF: Arthur Perkins artperk@msn.com; lorrainewearley@gmail.com; mtpremo@gmail.com.

Health Care Task Force Update – Nov. 2011

by UU FA Office

On October 11, Health Care Task Force Chair Carolyn Baldacchini attended a Medical Advisory Council meeting at the NJ State offices of the Dept. of Health and Human Services.   Commissioner Jennifer Valez and members of her staff were at the meeting to discuss the Section 1115 Comprehensive Waiver that the State of New Jersey had applied for.

Members of the Medical Advisory Council and the audience expressed many concerns with the waiver.  We were the only religious organization at the meeting, and many appreciated our presence.  Many said that individual letters, as well as one from Rev. Craig Hirshberg, would be meaningful.

The task force also sent letters to the State of NJ and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare, explaining our concerns with the Section 1115 Comprehensive Waiver application.  The letters reflected our beliefs and how we wished to see a waiver be used.

Ridgewood to Propose CSAI on Reproductive Justice

by UU FA Office

The Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood recently voted unanimously to submit a proposal for a Congregational Study/Action Issue on Reproductive Justice to the UUA for inclusion on the agenda of General Assembly 2012. The Society would like other congregations to endorse the proposal.

For the full text of the proposal, see http://uumetrony.org/metronyminute/nov11/Ridgewood_full.pdf.

For a summary of the proposal, http://uumetrony.org/metronyminute/nov11/Ridgewood_summary.pdf.

For more information on how to endorse the proposal, see http://uumetrony.org/metronyminute/nov11/Ridgewood_letter.pdf.

Environmental Justice Council Starting in Metro NY District

by UU FA Office

From the NY Metro District:

The Metro NY District is starting our our Environmental Justice Council. The primary purpose of this Council is to educate UU leaders in global, regional, and local environmental justice issues. By gathering and training members of each congregation, we hope to concentrate our efforts at community organizing and begin to impact the critical issues of our day.

Environmental Justice identifies ecological issues as they relate to questions of race and class. To address these issues adequately, our District’s Racial and Social Justice Consultant, the Rev. Peggy Clarke, and Right Relations Consultant, Dr. Frances Sink, have partnered to educate, organize, and empower our congregations to address these complex and critical issues.

The Environmental Justice Council will have its first meeting on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at the First Unitarian Society of Westchester in Hastings on Hudson NY at 10:30 am. We are asking every congregation to send at least one representative to this meeting.

The Council will meet three times in 2012; one of those sessions will center on the nationally acclaimed GreenFaith Environmental Justice Tour in the Ironbound section of Newark NJ.

If you have questions, please contact either Dr. Frances Sink at frances.sink@gmail.com or the Rev. Peggy Clarke at pclarke@uuma.org. RSVP before January 10.