Thanks to Liz Carver for providing the following bits of food for thought.
The first item is especially important for all of you UEPers registered to vote in MA. Cutting income tax may seem like a particularly good idea given the current financial strain placed on many, but as Liz points out, it's a short-sighted way of placating frustrated tax payers. I suspect this will be an especially contentious issue given Governor Patrick's recent announcement that Massachusetts is out of money and facing what one Boston Globe article described as, "the state's worst fiscal crisis in at least five years." Clearly the best way to address running out of money is by eliminating one of the most reliable sources of some of that money...or not.
The second piece of info is about the National Institute of Health Blue Ribbon Panel meeting on Tuesday, October 14th.
As you may or may not be aware, BU is seeking to build a level-4 biolab at BU Medical Center which will serve as a test facility for infectious diseases. Now...as they say, perception is everything and so I feel compelled to mention that depending upon which side of the argument you fall or which source you reference, BU has either proposed the construction in the South End of a secure a BioResearch facility that is part of a series of even more secure National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories across the country (http://www.bu.edu/dbin/neidl/en/about/mission/) OR BU has proposed a BioTerror Lab in Roxbury (http://www.ace-ej.org/nih_blue_ribbon_panel_biolab_hearing).
Neither sounds very good, but the latter description drives the point home that environmental (in)justice is alive and well and very much at play in the development of Boston's communities.
To that end opponents of the BioLab have argued that the process by which the site for the BioLab was determined unfairly targeted a marginalized neighborhood and failed to take into consideration the preferences of said community. This past summer, after years or organizing and protesting, anti-lab activists were successfully able to stave off progress on the Biolab until Spring 2009. In the meantime and in accordance with NIH guidelines, BUMC must prove a. the safety of the facility in the event of an emergency and b. community awareness and buy-in for construction of the facility.
Tuesday's meeting specifically addresses the issue of community engagement in the overall process. The NIH Panel is seeking to establish a process for fostering community participation in the decision-making process. It is also an opportunity for many to voice their opinions for/against the BioLab.
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1. Vote No on Question One
This is probably not news to UEP'ers, but if the upcoming ballot initiative to repeal the Mass. state income tax passes, the social and environmental impacts would be devastating to social, environmental, and public safety programs. Question One is a binding referendum, and a similar Mass. ballot initiative in 2002 garnered 45% of the vote. Given many people's frustration and despair with the current economic crisis, we need to mobilize to defeat this reckless, short-sighted initiative.
There's lots of ways UEP'ers can help at http://votenoquestion1.com/takeaction.html -- including several upcoming phone banks (http://votenoquestion1.com/events.html).
I'd be willing to organize a UEP phone bank event if there's enough interest, so email me at liz.carver@yahoo.com if you'd like to participate.
2. NIH Blue Ribbon Panel Biolab Hearing, Tuesday, 10/14, 6:30pm, Roxbury
This is the meeting that was mentioned in Foundations class on Weds. Maybe a UEP field trip...?
http://www.ace-ej.org/nih_blue_ribbon_panel_biolab_hearing
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