November 17, 2009
Political Committee Report
Your Suncoast Group's Political Committee has been extremely active in political elections in the last year.
Regarding elections, although we have had some success in that area our goal was not to just elect favored candidates, but also to familiarize and educate all candidates about key local environmental concerns, and to encourage them to rely on SC members as resources on environmental matters.
In this past St. Petersburg election we succeeded in establishing closer relationships with most candidates through our questionnaire & interview process, and were able to brief them about local environmental concerns.
Also, our volunteers worked in at least four of those campaigns, and of the three we endorsed, Karl Nurse and Steve Kornell won City Council seats.
In other efforts, PolCom members are working with Suncoast Group's Energy and Conservation Committees. With Energy we have helped stage two forums and are planning a third, educating the public on alternate energy efforts and green jobs which can result from them. With the Conservation Committee we have helped generate public participation to alert City Council and County Commissioners about problems with fertilizer nitrogen run-off into Bay and Gulf waters.
Suncoast Group members have been and continue to be active in conservation and land use issues including those in Tarpon Springs, Maximo Moorings, and northeast Pinellas.
There is much more that can be done. Our committee can work with local law makers and officials in many of the 24 plus municipalities in Pinellas.
While we have many members in this committee, we have only a few who are actively involved, so I reiterate my invitation to all who are interested in seeing more positive political action in the environmental arena to get involved with us.
To join or learn of upcoming meetings contact me:
Bill Bucolo (727) 347-1829, or by email: bbuc@tampabay.rr.com.
Beth Connor to Join State Sierra Club Political Committee
Beth Connor, a current member of the Suncoast Group Political Committee and former Chair of Suncoast Group, has been invited to join the State Political Committee. She joins another Suncoast Group member, Bob Sullivan, who serves as State Compliance Officer.
More news from Political Committe during the year 2009....
The candidate said "Why do I need Sierra Club support... What good is it?"
It's true. During one of our candidate interviews last June a mayoral prospect actually said: "Why do I need your support? What good is it?"
The question was fair enough given Sierra Club's marginal history in St. Pete politics, but I was ready.
"It's going to be very different this time," I said. And then I described how our 1,000 members in St. Pete... our 2,300 paying members plus their family members and friends throughout Pinellas, will play a much bigger role in local elections this year. And we certainly are!
Green politics and Progressive ideals are on the rise everywhere, especially in St. Pete and throughout the bay area.
The front page story on August 18th in the St. Petersburg Times underscores this.
Every city mayoral candidate fully supports green programs, or at least says so... and it shows that your local Sierra Club is on the right track with our aggressive political initiatives in these races. Now it's time for us to put the right people in office, and we can do it.
Local Politics Sets the Tone of Our Daily Lives.
We are taking local leadership roles on several city councils and committees, and constantly expanding our roles throughout the county. Now we can put more people in local power.
If we want wiser approaches to water, fertilizer, design and building codes, green job grants... the whole package now, we need more of OUR members and friends in office.
No matter where you live in Pinellas, now is the time to show that Sierra Club endorsements really count for votes and campaign help in local elections. That is the only way local governments will mind our concerns.
A little help from you now will make a very big difference NOW. You need to volunteer time with each of our candidates... give an hour to make phone calls, or get some exercise walking once or twice per week by doing Lit Drops, or door hangers, or give em a few dollars to help with advertising and office expenses.
Please contact these candidates [See BELOW].
Tell them you are with Sierra Club and and want to help them get elected!
Let's show Sierra Club endorsement really counts!
Thank you!
Bill Bucolo
Chair, Suncoast Group Political Committee
Sierra Club in Pinellas County
bbuc@tampabay.rr.com tel: 727-347-1829
SIERRANS are very busy on several fronts in Pinellas, from Tarpon Springs to Maximo Park in the south. There's lots to do. Join the Political Committee and help us slay dragons all across the County! We may be taking on recalcitrant anti-environmentalist city commissioners in one municipality, rampaging builders in another place, and helping elect green office holders in another. We have a large committee with great people willing to work together to DO SOMETHING! If that sounds like you, get in touch! Contact Chair, Bill Bucolo to find out what's going on, what you can do today, and to discuss possible new issues: bbuc@tampabay.rr.com
SUNCOAST SIERRA CLUB has made decisions regarding the upcoming St. Petersburg elections. To find out all the details please contact Bill Bucolo at bbuc@tampabay.rr.com Early voting ballots have been mailed. Don’t forget to VOTE!!!!! |
About our selections:
These days almost everyone running for office understands we need to be wise about the environment. But while most candidates' hearts are in the right place, as we all know from past experience not everyone can get elected.
In St. Petersburg we have endorsed excellent environmental candidates who CAN get elected. And with your help they will. Together we represent thousands of votes... in the Primary where so few local people vote, we can easily determine who wins. All we have to do is stick together and VOTE.
Sierra Club members, our families, friends and associates must be sure to vote, AND give the people we are supporting a few hours of volunteer time.
And if you can afford it, a few dollars in donations.
The Candidates:
Contact Bill for more information. bbuc@tampabay.rr.com
PolCom's Endorsement Selection Committee was comprised of St. Petersburg residents Rebecca Falkenberry, Winnie Foster, Cathy Harrelson, Pat Kiesylis, and Chair, Bill Bucolo. Our compliance officer Bob Sullivan was part of the vote but unable to participate in the meetings and interviews.
I will happy to hear from any of you. And as we actively promote these candidates in the coming months you can expect to hear from us.
It's going to be a busy Summer!!!
Bill Bucolo
Chair, Suncoast Group Political Committee
bbuc@tampabay.rr.com tel: 727-347-1829
The process which precedes a Sierra Club endorsement
The Suncoast Sierra Club Political Committee is gearing up for the St. Petersburg mayoral and council elections which will be here before you know it [November 3.] Are you curious or interested in the process which precedes a Sierra Club endorsement? Would you like to view and or review the extensive questionnaire which each candidate is sent? If you answered yes, to either of those questions, read on.
Dear Suncoast Sierra Club members and friends,
Here is the questionnaire which was sent to 20 mayoral and council candidates.
When you see the questionnaire you'll know that when Suncoast Sierra Club endorses a candidate that candidate is going to know the score environmentally, and he or she will really deserve our volunteer help and donations.
But there's MUCH more to do beyond endorsements.
As the old pols say, "All Politics is Local!" If we want a say in how our local government is run we are going to have to get OUR people elected. And this year, because of the crowded primary, we have a great chance to do that.
There are 2,300 paid Sierra Club members in Pinellas... perhaps 1,200 or so in St. Pete, plus our friends in Audubon, Defenders of Wildlife, and many other interest-aligned groups who can easily make a big difference in the election outcome in St. Petersburg.
All summer long we'll be looking for ways to make our endorsements count... to help the best candidates in the Primary and in the main event on November 3. I hope you, your friends and family and associates will all pitch in over the next few months to help make this the year environmentalists in Pinellas roar!
Bill Bucolo
Chair, Suncoast Group Political Committee
bbuc@tampabay.rr.com, 727-347-1829
Pinellas Sierra Club chapter hosts a forum series on Energy Solutions focusing on Green Jobs, Education, Activism and passing meaningful Green Legislation locally and in Tallahassee. For more information, contact Bill Bucolo, bbuc@tampabay.rr.com, 727-347-1829, Winnie Foster, wfoster26@hotmail.com, 727-867-8994 or Joyce Walters, Jellen1943@yahoo.com, 727-526-5065.