Local Program 2010-2011

League of Women Voters^®
of Schenectady County

The Local Program Positions for the LWV Schenectady County as well as the LWVNYS Positions in Brief 2005-2007.

League of Woman Voters of Schenectady County Local Program 2010-2011. League of Woman Voters of Schenectady County Local Program 2009-2010. LWVNYS Positions in Brief...2005-2007.

League of Woman Voters of Schenectady County Local Program 2010-2011

Justice and the Law
Support improvements to the local criminal justice system by:
A- strengthening the Probation Department and rehabilitation programs in the County.
B- facilitating the implementation of alternative courts (problem solving courts) in Schenectady County and promoting collaborations to support them.
C- monitoring the juvenile justice system and promoting community bases rehabilitation programs.
Local Government
Monitor activities of county governmental units, including town boards, the Schenectady City Council and the Schenectady County Legislature; monitor activities of other quasi-governmental units, public authorities and agencies such as Metroplex, IDAs and Planning Boards; monitor activities of elected public Boards of Education. Support standards of high professional qualifications and political nonpartisanship in manager form of government. Evaluate opportunities for inter-municipal cooperation and examine options for the consolidation of governmental services in Schenectady County.
Children at Risk
Collaborate with other organizations to identify the needs of girls in Schenectady County, facilitate programs on their behalf, and educate the community about their needs and challenges.
Local Education Monitor local initiatives related to schools and financing education.
Environmental Issues
Support environmental efforts in Schenectady County by educating, monitoring, and advocating to further environmental goals related to water resources and efforts to deal with global warming.
1- Work to understand, protect, and conserve the water resources of Schenectady County including the Great Flats Aquifer, the Mohawk River, and other ground water resources. This includes water treatment infrastructure, protection of recharge zones, response to spills and other pollution, and preservation of recreational use.
2- Promote understanding and mitigating efforts to reduce negative effects of global climate change. Support efforts to improve energy efficiency, energy conservation, use of renewable energy, and the reduction of green house gas emissions, the use of green building practices, recycling, the creation of green jobs, and local sustainable agriculture in Schenectady County.
3- Promote planning for future energy needs in the context of dwindling petroleum and natural gas reserves and increased demand for energy.
4- Renew our commitment to the 1991 Four League position on solid waste management.
Local Health Services Support and advocate for national health care reform that provides quality physical and mental health care for all citizens. Educate our membership and others about long term care standards and develop recommendations for local options. Encourage and support county- wide comprehensive health care planning.

League of Woman Voters of Schenectady County Local Program 2009-2010

Justice and the Law Support improvements to the local criminal justice system by:
1. strengthening the Probation Department and rehabilitation programs in the County.
2. facilitating the implementation of alternative courts (problem solving courts) in Schenectady County and promoting collaborations to support them.
3. monitoring the juvenile justice system and promoting community bases rehabilitation programs.
Local Government

Monitor activities of county governmental units, including town boards, the Schenectady City Council and the Schenectady County Legislature; monitor activities of other quasi-governmental units, public authorities and agencies such as Metroplex, IDAs and Planning Boards; monitor activities of elected public Boards of Education.
Support standards of high professional qualifications and political nonpartisanship in manager form of government.
Evaluate opportunities for inter-municipal cooperation and examine options for the consolidation of governmental services in Schenectady County.

Children at Risk

Collaborate with other organizations to identify the needs of girls in Schenectady County, facilitate programs on their behalf, and educate the community about their needs and challenges.

Local Education

Monitor local initiatives related to schools and financing education.

Environmental Issues Support environmental efforts in Schenectady County by educating, monitoring, and advocating to further environmental goals related to water resources and efforts to deal with global warming.
1. Work to understand, protect, and conserve the water resources of Schenectady County including the Great Flats Aquifer, the Mohawk River, and other ground water resources. This includes water treatment infrastructure, protection of recharge zones, response to spills and other pollution, and preservation of recreational use.
2. Promote understanding and mitigating efforts to reduce negative effects of global climate change. Support efforts to improve energy efficiency, energy conservation, use of renewable energy, and the reduction of green house gas emissions, the use of green building practices, recycling, the creation of green jobs, and local sustainable agriculture in Schenectady County.
3. Promote planning for future energy needs in the context of dwindling petroleum and natural gas reserves and increased demand for energy.
4. Renew our commitment to the 1991 Four League position on solid waste management.
Health Care Services

Support and advocate for national health care reform that provides quality physical and mental health care for all citizens.
Educate our membership and others about long term care standards and develop recommendations for local options.
Encourage and support county- wide comprehensive health care planning.

LWVNYS Positions in Brief...2005-2007

ELECTION LAW

Support of measures to protect, extend and encourage the use of the franchise; open the political system by enacting a public campaign financing law for statewide offices; establish legal, ethical campaign guidelines; monitor campaign practices; simplify rules for ballot access.
And restore integrity to the election process + specifically support uniformity in election laws and procedures and in their implementation and enforcement; promote measures that ensure the integrity of all ballots; and
Support adequate funding for these procedures and for training of all involved election personnel.
Opposition to term limits for members of the NYS Legislature.
Opposition to term limits for NYS statewide elected officials.

GOVERNMENT
Support of standards to ensure equitable representation in the State Legislature and the Congress.
Support of improved measures to provide representation for legislative districts in case of a vacancy.
Support of responsive and responsible legislative processes which increase the role of the individual member and the committee system.
Support of effective lobbying and ethics regulation.
Support of procedural reforms in the constitutional convention process to promote openness and nonpartisanship.

HEALTH CARE

Support of measures to assure a basic level of quality physical and mental health care for all state residents including regulatory incentives to encourage development of cost-effective alternative methods of delivery; funding for health promotion and disease prevention programs; provisions for effective citizen participation in health policy decisions.
Support of measures that enable individuals to assume responsibility for their own health and to participate in decisions including termination of extraordinary life-extending procedures.
Support for uniform eligibility and coverage of basic health care costs through public financing.

JUDICIAL

Support of a unified state court system with improved provisions for judicial selection.
Support of statewide guidelines for law enforcement at all levels to prevent racial and economic profiling.
Support of measures to improve pretrial procedures in the criminal courts.
Support of measures to promote a fair and efficient jury system.
Support of alternatives to incarceration.
Opposition to the death penalty, with life without parole as the primary alternative

NATURAL RESOURCES

Support for measures to achieve watershed protection including limiting pesticide uses and applying Best Management Practices.
Support for a state-established, intergovernmental system for land resource management.
Support for a proactive role for New York State in regional land use planning, containing urban sprawl and protecting sensitive areas.
Support of reconditioning of the New York State Erie/Barge Canal
System and its development for recreational uses.

SOCIAL POLICY
Support measures to meet the needs for low-income housing through use of state funds and incentives to localities.

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STATE FINANCES

Support reforms for greater equity in education financing for both pupils and the taxpayers.
Oppose in principle the use of public funds to support non-public schools, kindergarten-twelfth grade.
Support of a uniform equitable assessment and property tax system.
Support of measures to provide for openness and accountability in the operation of the New York State public authority system.
Support of a timely and responsive state budget.
Support the funding of public higher education and the existing formula for financing the community system, 1/3 tuition, 1/3 state aid, and 1/3 county support.

WOMENS ISSUES/SOCIAL POLICY

Support of measures which hold marriage to be an economic partnership with a presumption of equality between the spouses.
Opposition to measures that contain a presumption of joint custody of the children.
Support for equity in employment laws and practices and equal pay for jobs of comparable worth.
Support of measures to reduce the incidence and effects of domestic violence.
Support for measures to meet the needs for affordable and accessible housing through use of state funds and incentives to localities.

These state positions are based on LWVUS principles and public policy positions. State actions on other items not covered under a state position can also be taken under LWVUS positions. Reproductive choices (Government position) and welfare reform (Meeting Basic Human Needs position) are two examples

Comments, suggestions, questions? Contact our webmaster. Last revised: August 27, 2010 06:44 PDT.