-APANO Convention Organizers: Thach Nguyen, Channbunmorl Sou, Phu Dao, Lorene Espineli, Shizuko Hashimoto, John Joo, Joseph Santos-Lyons

Dear APANO Volunteer -

Thank you for helping to raise the awareness and increase the participation of Asian and Pacific Islander voters in the January 26th special election.  Our goals are to both increase our “voter engagement”, and to encourage a Yes on Measure 66 & 67 vote.  Read on – or download our Electronic APANO_M66-67_Volunteer_Packet now!

Three Easy Ways to Help:

1. Distribute Flyers to one or more places in the community where Asian/Pacific Islanders gather.  Businesses, religious/spiritual centers, community organizations, social service agencies, schools, etc.  Please ask permission to post the flyer when appropriate.  We want to raise the visibility in our community about the Jan 26 election.  You can also reproduce copies of the flyer on your own by downloading the Electronic APANO_M66-67_Volunteer_Packet
   
2. Host a Discussion with co-workers, friends, family, using some of the talking points and sample questions on the APANO Yes for Oregon Flyer.  5 minutes can make the difference for a voter, encouraging most of all to vote in the elections.  When more of us vote, our community is recognized as an equal part of the civic process.  The discussion questions are meant to be light, simple and direct.  Share some of the literature as appropriate.
3. Publicize the Jan 26 Elections in your social media networks – Myspace.com, Facebook.com, Twitter, etc.  One of the major issues with a special election is that the turnout is low, because many folks aren’t expecting to vote at this time of year.  Also with mail-in ballots, some folks may forget to turn them in on-time.  Ballots need to be received by January 26th!

We also thank you in advance for any time you can dedicate, even 15 minutes, to raising awareness in our communities about the elections.  Also the time you may take to translate this into your native Asian and Pacific Islander language.

Lastly, we hope you will consider coming out again to an APANO Election Outreach event in the Portland area -

1) Thursday, January 21st, 6-9pm, Phone Banking
2) Friday, January 22nd, 9-5pm anytime, Volunteering for Door Knocking and Phone Banking with Communities of Color
3) Sunday, January 24th, 5-8pm, Phone Banking

These outreach events include training, food, and are really a fun opportunity to talk one-on-one with fellow voters about the elections, and getting people basic information.  We will also respect your level of comfort, and offer you options for tasks that feel good!

Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (503)512-0274

Join us January 14th 5:30pm-7:00pm at APANO Office 922 N Killingsworth Ave, Portland, OR, to educate and mobilize for the January 26th Oregon Special Election.  [click here to RSVP online]  Childcare and dinner are provided.

Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO)
503-512-0274
info@apano.org
www.apano.org

APANO is a membership based organization, we welcome all people to join.  You can do so online, or request a membership brochure.

APANO Measure 66 & 67 Community Meeting & Happy Hour
Childcare available, Dinner provided
Thursday January 14th 5:30-7:00 PM
Asian Reporter Foundation 922 N Killingsworth Ave, Portland

APANO asks your help in advocating for these services, by educating and encouraging a Yes Vote on Measure 66 & 67 January 26th, 2010. Oregon’s State Budget for services that affect many of us every day – schools, health clinics, fire and police, employment training – are in jeopardy. Yes on Measure 66 & 67 is a vote for a better future for Oregon with services critical to our families, children and seniors.

We’ve heard stories of job loss, the struggle for health insurance, educational challenges, and social isolation.  When we come together as community, across community, we can make decisions that can improve our livelihoods.  Asians and Pacific Islanders are intensely diverse, different languages, cultures, religions, even rice.  We are united most often by our common experience of immigration, of tradition, of intergenerational family.

Oregon’s State Budget for services that affect many of us every day – schools, health clinics, fire and police, employment training – are in jeopardy.  APANO asks your help in advocating for these services, by educating and encouraging a Yes Vote on Measure 66 & 67 January 26th, 2010.  Yes on Measure 66 & 67 is a vote for a better future for Oregon with services critical to our families, children and seniors.

• Register to vote by January 5th [if you have moved or never registered, register at your local DMV, Library or University, or print and return this form]
• Ballots mailed mid-January, ballots must be received by January 26th [Election drop-off sites or mail at least 3 days in advance]

Snapshot of Ballot Measures:

Measure 66 is about Tax Fairness [How would Measure 66 affect you?]

• Raises $472 million dollars by increasing from 9% to 10.8% the tax rate on any earnings over $250,000/year for couples, $125,000/year for individuals
• Impacts the income wealth of the top 3%, approximately 38,000 out of 1.5 million income tax returns
• For an individual earning $130,000/year, annual tax increase would be $90
• A couple earning $300,00/year, or $25,000/month, would see an increase of $900, or $75/month

Measure 67 is about Corporate Responsiblity

• Raises $252 million dollars by increasing the $10 corporate minimum income tax for the first time since 1931. The new minimum will start at $150; and
• Increases the marginal tax rate on corporate profits above $250,000 by 1.3% (and moving to above $10 million in 2013)
• Oregon will have the 5th lowest corporate taxes – and lower than any other West Coast state.  Economists say Oregon would remain tax-friendly to business.  Critics say the measure would give Oregon the highest minimum corporate tax in the United States outside California and New York. But unlike most states, Oregon businesses are assessed no sales taxes, and they pay lower-than-average property taxes. So their overall burden, even with Measure 67, would remain among the lowest in the nation.

APANO Holiday Conversations for Tax Fairness

Discussion questions:

1) What do you know about Measure 66 & 67?

• Ask if they are registered to vote (deadline January 5th)
• Election day is January 26th
• Listen to what they know about the Measures, and gently inform as appropriate
• Post any follow-up questions to our Facebook Page or contact APANO

2) How do you feel like this election will impact you and your family or community?

• Check out this new interactive map put together by the Vote Yes campaign to learn about how the impact by county
  • How many kids are in our K-12 schools? How much school funding for my child’s education will Measures 66 and 67 protect?
  • How many people are receiving long term care in my community? How many people depend on the Oregon Health Plan?
  • How many people are receiving long term care in my community? How many people depend on the Oregon Health Plan?
  • How will community colleges and universities in my community be affected?
  • How many people looking for work in 2009 will get a tax break under Measure 66?
• Did you know that the measures contain a tax break for people receiving unemployment?  Over 270,000 Oregonians will receive the first $2400 of their unemployment benefits tax-free if 66 & 67 are passed.

3) Are you interested in helping educate the broader Asian and Pacific Islander communities of Oregon?

• Did you know that Asians and Pacific Islanders have one of the lowest voter participation rates?  When elected officials and policy makers know that we participate as voters, they respect the issues that impact our communities.
• Did you know that newer immigrant and refugees becoming citizens have one of the lowest voter registration rates?  When we are registered to vote and take action to vote, the voice of our community is represented.  Participating in the civic process is new for many of our communities, who have often fled corrupt and oppressive political systems.  In America we have civil rights in voting, and our involvement helps improve the equality, dignity and respect for our community.
• APANO is working across our diverse Asian and Pacific Islanders to educate voters, and to help Get Out The Vote.  We need bilingual, bicultural, Asian and Pacific Islanders to raise awareness, and help mobilize our community to vote on January 26th.  Would you consider volunteering for a phone bank, share literature?

Please direct any questions, volunteers, or other comments to:

APANO Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon
503-512-0274
info@apano.org
www.apano.org

APANO is a membership based organization, we welcome all people to join.  You can do so online, or request a membership brochure.

You are invited to attend APANO’s Policy Advocacy Working Group meeting this Friday November 20th from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Asian Reporter Foundation Conference Room 922 N Killingsworth Ave.

Click here to RSVP or call 503-512-0274

This is a new working group established by the APANO Board in order to consider and recommend policy advocacy, and implement grassroots mobilization, education and action. Recent successes included the API Health Equity and Reform Conference and the API Legislative Day in May 2009. In 2008 the API VOTE Oregon campaign registered 300 new voters, hosted 30 ballot parties specifically to talk about No on Measure 58 (anti-English Language Learners), and phone banked 1000 API Oregon voters to get out the vote. We hope you will join us! We welcome new APANO Members and Friends to participate.

APANO Policy Working Group Structure
(last reviewed by APANO Board 2/2009)

Purposes:

1. Research, Study, Assess and Recommend Action
2. Education and Organizing
3. Advocacy and Critical Response

Goals:

1. Advocate for Pan-Asian and Pacific Islander Interests
2. Lift up Immigrant Contributions and Leadership
3. Development of New Leadership
4. Continue Legacy of APANO Policy Work
5. Public Statements
6. Education and Support for APANO Members interested in Elected Leadership

Structure:

• Bi-Monthly Regular meetings
• Short Term Project Committees
• Working Group Email List
• Website Work Space
• Convener or Co-Convener, with Project Convener/Co-Convenors

Thanks to Mimi and our community partners who signed on to this public letter.