Action Update: December 2, 2011

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Valley Residents Joined Forces and Voter Power to Repeal SB5

On October 20th, 250 residents of the Mahoning Valley joined in unison
with 1,000 Cincinnati residents and 500 Toledo residents, who rallied the
week before, to show support for teachers, firefighters, police, and
other state workers who had their collective bargaining and other union
rights removed when Senate Bill 5 was passed earlier in 2011. On November
8th, more than 2,063,000 Ohio citizens voted to repeal SB5. 

OOC Leaders Gathered in D.C. to Make Voices Heard About the Security of Social Security 

Leaders
of Ohio Organizing Collaborative's Retirement Security Campaign
attended the first "Occupy the Joint Commission" on Capitol Hill hosted
by Senators Sanders and Mulkiski on November 17, 2011 in Washington,
D.C.. Over two hundred gathered from all over the country including
members of CCC (Campaign for Community Change), PICO, ARA, SEIU, NPA,
Caring Across Generations, OOC and others to tell the Super Committee
"To Wake Up!!!", to protect   Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as
well as the values and dignity of Americans. You can watch Charlene Allen of the Retirement Security Campaign in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrG1Qpr1iKY.

This was followed by actions at the offices of Senators Portman and Brown.

The
citizen's group, Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership (TNP) was recently
awarded $356,964 from HUD to study 7,000 vacant properties and lots
within the city of Warren. Matt Martin, the director of TNP, hopes that
the outcome of this study will identify properties that can be reclaimed
as part of a strategy to reinvest in Warren's communities and
neighborhoods for healthier, more sustainable places to live. The
Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative is a core partner on this
grant, and the study that will be conducted in five targeted corridors
of Warren. Incoming mayor, Doug Franklin, supports TNP's efforts. The
story can be found in the Vindicator's online archive here:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/nov/28/-vacant-properties-in-warren-to-be-studi/.