Please read below:
Dear Liz:
Dear Liz:
I will be there tomorrow representing the Orlando Quaker Meeting.
Sincerely,
Nelson
From: Liz Buckley ebuckley@focusorlando.org
Dear FOCUS Clergy, we have just learned about an effort to privatize the Orange County jail that will be considered at tomorrow's Board of County Commission meeting, Tuesday, Sept 11 at 1:00 pm.
You all may remember that Rev. Thompson, Pastor Mike, and many of our clergy leaders played a critical role in urging Senator Gary Siplin to vote against the largest prison privatization bill when it was defeated this past session. It was a huge victory. More below.
We would like a strong group of clergy at the BCC meeting tomorrow to say "this was a bad idea then, and it's still a bad idea. The Florida Senate, with historic bipartisanship, defeated prison privatization because data shows that it does not improve either efficiency or rehabilitation, and it makes a profit based on the beds being full. We have seen firsthand the compounding impact of incarceration on communities of color, which is why, as clergy of FOCUS and PICO United Florida, we oppose this measure".
At tomorrow's meeting, the BCC will also being hearing comments about the Earned Sick Time measure on the ballot, which FOCUS has informally supported, but not yet voted on as a Board. We are looking for clergy leaders to stand up in the name of their own congregation in support of low-wage workers and their right not to get fired when sick. We will vote on this at the October 1st Board meeting.
If you can attend, please let me know by replying to this e-mail and copying seabrooksfaith@yahoo.com. It's time we stand up against powerful corporate interests on behalf of the poor and vulnerable.
Many thanks for all you do.
Liz Buckley
Executive Director
FOCUS ® 406 E. Amelia Street ® Orlando, FL ® 32803
(cell) 407-924-8905 ® (office) 407-849-5031
(fax) 407-849-5033
From: Israel Valerdi [mailto:israelv.focus@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 2:36 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: ALERT PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU CAN! SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORKS! BCC Proposal to Privatize Orange County Jail Operations?/Sick Leave/Refe?rendum
Sent: Monday, September 10, 2012 2:36 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: ALERT PLEASE ATTEND IF YOU CAN! SHARE WITH YOUR NETWORKS! BCC Proposal to Privatize Orange County Jail Operations?/Sick Leave/Refe?rendum
Here is a little bit of what has been done from our end to try to stop the Privatization of Prisons here in Florida:
Faith leaders in Florida are celebrating the defeat of a state Senate bill that would have created the largest prison privatization in the United States. The Privatization of Correctional Facilities bill (SB 2038) failed 21-19 after Sen. Gary Siplin of Orlando, who was originally in favor of the plan, changed his vote to "no".
PICO United Florida and Federation of Congregations United to Serve (FOCUS), in partnership with AFSCME and other grassroots organizations, worked to pressure public officials, including Siplin, to vote against the bill that would have affected 27 prisons and work camps in South Florida, resulting the in the loss of 4,300 jobs.
Proving the PICO principle "power is in the relationship," a conversation between Siplin and the Rev. Errol Thompson, pastor of New Fellowship Baptist Church, just hours before the vote may have persuaded the senator to change his mind.
Thompson, who chairs the PICO United Florida board of directors, said he called Siplin to ensure that he understood the ramifications of SB 2038.
"We talked about what passage of this bill would mean to our communities," Thompson said. "I told him that as a pastor I was concerned because prison privatization impacts minority communities in a greater way. Because they have to keep the beds full, arrests of people of color tend to accelerate."
The more people behind bars, and the longer they stay there, the more money that private, for-profit prison companies make, according to the report "Unholy Alliance: How the private prison industry is corrupting our democracy and promoting mass incarceration."
The report, produced by PICO National Network and Public Campaign, also states that between 1990 and 2009, the total number of inmates in federal and state prisons doubled; while private prisons saw their inmate population explode by nearly 1,700% over roughly the same period.
Thompson told the senator that even after being released from prison, many people continue to struggle. "They can't find jobs and their voting rights are taken from them," he said. "I asked Sen. Siplin to strongly consider the compounding affects that prison privatization would have on the community."
The bill's supporters claim that allowing private companies to bid on contracts to run the state's prison system would generate revenue. In an interview with the Associated Press, Siplin said he ultimately voted against the bill because he wasn't convinced it would solve the state's money woes.
"I think it was appropriate and proper to have the bill come to the floor, hear all the discussion, and see whether it would assist in balancing the budget," Siplin said. "But I thought, based on the evidence, that we can still find some other funds some other ways."
To all,I would like to advise you at approximately 5:47 PM yesterday, WFTV aired a story on a proposal made by Orange County Commissioner Fred Brummer to privatize the Orange County Jail. This is not the first time Commissioner Brummer has openly discussed privatization of the Orange County Corrections Department (OCCD). At the County Budget hearing for 2013 Brummer poised the question of privatization to members of the BCC and before the Jail Chief. Now, Brummer will be making it a focal point of the County Commission meeting agenda slated for Tuesday, September 11th, the same day the BCC will be discussing Sick Leave. This might also be an attempt by the BCC to counter our referendum as they are trying to do with the Sick Leave initiative. It is Brummers intention to start proceedings to make his proposal a reality.As a result of this most recent move by the BCC your assistance in our efforts to return the Orange County Corrections Department to the authority of the Orange County Sheriff's Office is needed more than ever before. This issue should be of great importance to every citizen of Orange County and will have a direct impact on their safety and well-being. Twenty-five years ago the people of Orange County Florida were not allowed to have their voices heard in the decision to change the structure of county government. And now we will need all the help possible to allow them to decide.Scott & Stephanie, President Cruz and I will be present at Tuesday's commission hearing. As previously discussed I will talk with him about having additional members present in support of Sick Leave. Hopefully, we will be able to do so. If you happen to know what time Sick Leave is on the meeting agenda please let me know. I hope to schedule our meeting soon. Thank you everyone for your help.
Orange County 2013 Budget (Corrections): http://www.orangecountyfl.net/OpenGovernment/OrangeTVVisionTV/BCCMeetingVideos2012/BCCMeetingVideos2013BudgetHearings.aspxCorporal Steven CamachoAssistant Public Information OfficerFraternal Order of Police, Lodge 86Orange County Corrections Department, FLCONFIDENTIAL- The information transmitted in this E-Mail is intended specifically for the person(s) to which it is addressed and contains confidential, EXEMPT information per F.S.S. 119 (Florida Public Records Law), and/or otherwise Law Enforcement Sensitive (LES) - privileged material. Distribution or release of information contained within this message to anyone other than the designated recipient(s) is prohibited without prior approval. Additionally, this information may be EXEMPT from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). No portion of the LES information should be released to the media, the general public, over non-secure internet servers, or other personnel who do not have a valid "need-to-know". Release of this information could adversely affect or jeopardize investigative activities. If you have received this message in error, please contact me and delete the material from all computers in which it is stored.
Federation of Congregations United to Serve (FOCUS)
Israel Valerdi
Leadership Development Consultant
406 E. Amelia St. w Orlando, FL w 32803
fax (407) 849-5033
Mahatma Gandhi: You must be the CHANGE you wish to see in the WORLD.
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Cesar Chavez: If you really want to make a friend,go to someone's house and eat with him. The people who give you their food give you their Heart.
Martin Luther King Jr: Now is the time to lift our national policy from the quicksand of racial injustice to the solid rock of human dignity.
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