“Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded…”-Henry David Thoreau
GEAR UP CDP, WE LAUNCH IN JUNE!
Come summer, we will be hitting the streets of Oakland to gather signatures from those who share our vision, and believe all citizens should directly influence the way their tax dollars are spent. It became increasingly apparent through thoughtful deliberation that the progress we’ve made, and the buzz we’ve created, makes now the perfect time to ramp up our initiative campaign.
To quote Bad Boys 2, “**** just got real.”; we are going to need all hands on deck! If you haven’t yet, please go to our website and pledge to volunteer for a few afternoons.
Announcing our commitment to democratic decision making, and a shifting of local economic power, at the end of Tax Season just seemed fitting, don’t you agree? If your like me and procrastinated on doing your taxes until the very last moment, take a break to explore where your federal taxes go, and how the city of Oakland spends their money, including your taxes (courtesy of our friends at Open Budget Oakland). If you were smart enough to get a head start on the drudgery that is the 1040, congratulations! Pat yourself on the back and check out what that percentage of your salary is used to purchase.
My Community + Your Community = Our Community
Street Outreach: Last week week’s street outreach was both very fun and extremely successful. A contingent of members helped to build awareness at the First Friday Festival, People’s Grocery, the Move to Amend Forum at Laney College, and Niebly-Proctor Library. We are very grateful for Alexa, Troy, Sonya, Matt, Liana, Shawn, and Connor doing outreach! Our presence certainly was felt throughout all of Oakland! We met many like-minded individuals and established very beneficial connections. A special thank you goes out to the members who take it upon themselves to be one-person street teams! It is always a good time to build awareness for our cause.
Upcoming Events: CDP members will be present at many interesting events happening in Oakland this week. Come join us to help create buzz and enjoy each other’s company:
- Open Budget Oakland meets every Tuesday at 6:30 inside of City Hall, Room 14.
- Money & Life, a documentary about alternatives to our monetary system, will be premiering at Parkway Theater on April 11th.
- Street Team on Lakeshore Ave, Monday afternoon, exact time TBD. RSVP!
- The Budget Advisory Committee meets every third Monday at 6pm on the third floor of City Hall inside the City Administrators office. The next meeting is the upcoming Monday, April 15. This is the same week the proposed budged for 2013-15 is released!
Mark these monthly events down in your calendars! They are great opportunities to bond with other CDP members while simultaneously building awareness.
- First Fridays Art Festival, May 3rd. (every 1st Friday)
- People’s Grocery & Bay Localize presents Green the Block Garden Work Party, May 4th. (every 1st Saturday)
Thank you all for your continued support! June is only around the corner, and we have excitedly begun to make the preparations necessary for a successful launch. Now’s the time to let us know what skills or time you are able to volunteer which can bring us closer to the ballot box.
In solidarity,
Gregory Jackson
“Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only when, and if, it is organized into definite plans of action, and directed to a definite end.”- Napoleon Hill
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