PRESS RELEASE:
Revitalize Grassroots Politics in Santa Cruz:
Attend SCAN Annual Meeting on October 10th
Santa Cruz, CA (September 26th, 2002) -- Santa Cruz City Council Candidate Thomas Leavitt Calls Upon Progressive Community to Turn Out For Annual Meeting Of County's Premier Progressive Political Organization
"We are the ones we have been waiting for."
--The Elders Orabi, Arizona Hopi Nation
Santa Cruz needs an effective and non-partisan vehicle through which consensus on a broad-based progressive agenda for politics in this city (and county) can be created, and then acted on. In the history of our fair city, only one organization has been able to realize this vision: the Santa Cruz Action Network. Without a central organizing vehicle, the progressive movement in this city is split into a thousand single issue organizations that amount to far less than the sum of their parts. It is time for us, as a progressive community, to re-unite under the SCAN banner, and revitalize that organization so that it can serve as a strong, grassroots based, action oriented citizens lobby.
This is not a call to "take over SCAN". This is a call to revitalize progressive politics at the grassroots. As the Hopi elders say, we are the ones we have been waiting for. Progressive politics in this city will not happen without our involvement, and without a central organizing vehicle such as SCAN, the resulting vacuum at the grassroots will continue to contribute to a fractured, divisive and ineffective process that fails to move our issues forward, and sometimes does more harm than good.
SCAN is having its annual meeting on October 10th, 2002 (7 p.m. at the Louden Nelson Center in downtown Santa Cruz). At this meeting, SCAN will make endorsements for local school board elections, endorse or oppose ballot measures, select steering committee members, and work to identify priorities for organizing and action in the upcoming year. I strongly encourage you, the person reading this right now, to join SCAN, attend the meeting, and make your voice heard - and then to follow up on that by making a commitment to remain involved, and work on an internal committee that will address an issue you care about. Without a commitment from the grassroots, no action will take place.
One two hour meeting a month can make the difference between nothing happening on issues like establishing a Municipal Utility District, building a functional central depot for our public transit system (the lack of which is costing us $2 million dollars a year) that minimizes impact the neighborhood within which it is located, revitalizing the Beach Flats area without destroying it, or the establishment of a pedestrian mall downtown that has the consensus of the community and the support of the merchants. Or, in my particular case, an effective, coherent and broad based opposition to the Downtown Ordinances that does more than shout and scream.
I've done a lot of ineffective yelling at the City Council over the past few years, and I'm damn tired of it. That is why I choose to run. What I've learned in the process is what I've always known: principled positions are not enough, you need to be able to offer constructive criticism and coherent alternatives that have the demonstrated support of a broad base of citizen activists. Without SCAN to act as a mediating force, all that those who opposed these ordinances (and continue to oppose them) could do was protest helplessly. The debate over implementation of these ordinances is not yet over, and after November, we will have an opportunity to engage in a dialogue on this issue without the threat of business support for the repeal of the utility tax hanging over the heads of our elected officials (vote NO on Measure P, and make damn sure every single person around you knows to do the same). NOW is the time to organize and ensure that that dialogue is constructive and effective at moving these issues forward. NOW is the time to join SCAN.
The progressive cause in this city needs a strong SCAN. SCAN needs YOUR support. Join SCAN now! Call (831) 458-9425, or email scan@cruzio.com.
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Why should I join SCAN?
It costs only $25 ($5 if you're low-income). It entitles you to cast a vote on policy issues, candidate and ballot measure endorsements, etc. that has far more "clout" than one cast at the ballot booth. This year, for example, there were a total of only 68 votes cast when SCAN made its endorsements for City Council. It is the only non-partisan vehicle through which a broad based progressive agenda for ACTION can be built, the only vehicle through which progressive Greens and Democrats can collaborate on non-partisan, non-electoral issues. Progressive politics in this city CAN be revitalized, together, we can make it happen.
A strong SCAN will be able to:
- afford an office again - this will provide meeting space and basic administrative support facilities for progressive causes
- hire a decently paid co-ordinator - business interests have people who do nothing but lobby the community, our elected leaders, and organize all day long; imagine what could happen if a single, highly skilled person could devote all of their time and energy to the progressive cause, instead of having to struggle day to day to just get by
- put feet on the street in elections, and cash in the hands of candidates - in Santa Monica, SMRR (their equivalent of SCAN) raises $50,000+ for the candidates it endorses, and more importantly, operates a huge volunteer phone bank and street canvas - what can SCAN offer, at this point, besides its name?
- will be able to put together, print and distribute a newsletter on a regular basis - the progressive community needs an information source on progressive politics that is under our own control
- build a database of activists and concerned citizens - and then turn them out for meetings, street demonstrations and engage in other grassroots, non-electoral activity in support of progressive causes
The progressive cause in this city needs a strong SCAN. SCAN needs YOUR support. Join SCAN now! Call (831) 458-9425, or email scan@cruzio.com.
Thank you,
Thomas Leavitt
Candidate for City Council
Former SCAN Steering Committee member
Current SCAN member
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