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Our Positions
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League positions are carefully studied and adopted by consensus.
These positions are core to the League foundation and key to the respect that the Leagues have earned.
The League studies issues, authors a briefing paper (3-6 months) or a study paper (1-2 years).
Typically the briefing paper or study paper includes a topic, problem description and alternative solutions for improvement.
The content is written in a manner that enables League members to politically lobby or advocate in support of or opposition to a policy or bill..
As a league, we review the issue and paper and at our Annual Meeting we vote whether to adopt the position.
If we vote to adopt the position, it is included in our Program.
These positions are core to the League foundation and key to the respect that the Leagues have earned.
The League studies issues, authors a briefing paper (3-6 months) or a study paper (1-2 years).
Typically the briefing paper or study paper includes a topic, problem description and alternative solutions for improvement.
The content is written in a manner that enables League members to politically lobby or advocate in support of or opposition to a policy or bill..
As a league, we review the issue and paper and at our Annual Meeting we vote whether to adopt the position.
If we vote to adopt the position, it is included in our Program.
League of Women Voters United States Impact On The Issues
LWVUS positions www.lwv.org/impact-issues are voted and adopted by consensus by all US league members.
League of Women Voters Minnesota Program For Action
LWVMN positions are voted and adopted by consensus by all Minnesota league members.
League of Women Voters St. Louis Park Program
LWVSLP Program details are also published in the Annual Meeting materials.
Process for updates: Review annually at the Lively Issues Meeting, at the annual meeting vote on proposed changes, or new studies. Download the Proposed LWVSLP 2021 Program pdf.
Proposed
2021 Program
League of Women Voters of St. Louis Park
GOVERNMENT
Diversity
Initiative and Referendum
Details
Support of:
Opposition to:
3. Voter recall of members of the Legislature and state constitutional officers; no agreement on voter recall of judges or appointed officials. (2002)
EDUCATION
ELL Programs
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION
NATURAL RESOURCES
Recycling
SOCIAL POLICY
Domestic Abuse
Prevention of Violence
Support for violence prevention programs in our community.
b. Local or state government mandating or encouraging such education programs in school curricula.
c. Use of public money to train teachers and administrators to use nonviolence curricula.
d. Training for childcare providers.
b. Business community
c. Legal community
d. Medical community
e. Media, civic and recreation community
Family Services
CONTINUING STUDIES
TRANSLATING LOCAL LEAGUE POSITIONS INTO ACTION
Informal action begins with every member spreading interest and information in an ever-widening circle, starting with family, friends and neighbors. In addition, we can take action by carrying this information into the community through other organizations to which we belong. Supporting legislation, which furthers League’s Program, by contacting our legislators is another important action to take. No one should speak or write letters for the League without first checking with the President.
LWVSLP Program details are also published in the Annual Meeting materials.
Process for updates: Review annually at the Lively Issues Meeting, at the annual meeting vote on proposed changes, or new studies. Download the Proposed LWVSLP 2021 Program pdf.
Proposed
2021 Program
League of Women Voters of St. Louis Park
GOVERNMENT
Diversity
- Support the city of St. Louis Park in developing a long-range plan for hiring and promoting qualified persons who represent the diversity of our community at all levels of city government services. (1993)
- Support St. Louis Park elected officials, civic groups and community leaders in collaborating to develop a long range plan for the city to use in solving problems related to communication between diverse groups, public safety, racism, violence, and maintaining neighborhoods. (1993)
Initiative and Referendum
- Support of the continuation of legislative initiative and compulsory voter referendum on constitutional amendment; opposition to most forms of voter initiative and referendum on statutes.
- Opposition to recall by voters of members of the Legislature and state constitutional officers.
- Support of strict procedural limits on any process of initiative.
Details
Support of:
- The continued initiation of constitutional amendments by the legislative branch; opposition to all forms of voter initiative of such amendments (direct, indirect or advisory).
- The continuation of compulsory voter referendum on constitutional amendments.
- Strict procedural limits on any form of initiative, referendum or recall considered or adopted in Minnesota, including restrictions on:
- Time span for collecting signatures.
- Eligibility requirements for persons signing and collecting petitions.
- Percentage of signatures required, geographic distribution of signers, and verification of signatures.
- Size of vote required for passage.
- Procedure for repeal or amendment of a successful initiative or referendum.
- Contributions to and spending for ballot issue campaigns.
Opposition to:
- Direct initiative and advisory initiative on statutes, no agreement on indirect initiative on statutes.
3. Voter recall of members of the Legislature and state constitutional officers; no agreement on voter recall of judges or appointed officials. (2002)
EDUCATION
ELL Programs
- Support the ELL (English Language Learners) program. Support additional funding for the ELL program. Support increases in the following if additional funding becomes available: Books, workbooks, reference materials, computers, teachers, and paraprofessionals. Support adequate space for the ELL program. The League does not support cutbacks in the funding for the ELL program. (1990) (2019)
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION
- Support St. Louis Park School District 283 in being pro-active in working to ensure that students and school personnel understand the increasing diversity of the students. (1993)
- Support the teaching of history, culture, literature and arts of other cultures including LGBTQ, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic- Americans Native-Americans gender identity, on an ongoing and comprehensive basis. (1993).
- Support the development of a long range, pro-active plan to hire qualified persons of diversity, and that it uses the assistance of its present minority personnel in doing this. (1993) (2019) (2020)
NATURAL RESOURCES
Recycling
- Support the expansion of recycling of solid waste, organics, including plastics. (1987) (2020).
- Support policies that promote and protect environmental quality. (1973) (1979).
SOCIAL POLICY
Domestic Abuse
- Support mandatory arrest of the offender as part of the stated policy and guidelines that police must follow. (1988)
- Support the handling of domestic abuse cases in criminal court. (1988)
- Support an intervention/advocacy program in St. Louis Park. (1988)
- Support funding of advocacy and intervention programs through a combination of private and public funds. (1988)
Prevention of Violence
Support for violence prevention programs in our community.
- Educational programs that emphasize self-esteem, healthy sexuality, problem solving, positive expression of emotions, nonviolent conflict resolution, and respect for others to prevent violent behavior. This would include support for:
b. Local or state government mandating or encouraging such education programs in school curricula.
c. Use of public money to train teachers and administrators to use nonviolence curricula.
d. Training for childcare providers.
- A requirement that adult educators, including coaches, participate in prevention of sexual harassment and violence education programs and that public money is provided for adequate training.
- The use of public money for a statewide public information and communication campaign designed to prevent violent and sexually violent behavior; i.e. to promote healthy sexuality, nonviolent conflict resolution, and gender and race equality.
- Efforts by state and local government to develop and coordinate programs dealing with primary prevention of violence.
- Allocation of public monies in governmental programs to combat violence through reducing substance abuse and poverty, and by identifying and responding to individuals who have been violent or are at risk for violent behavior.
- The following social institutions taking an active role in preventing violent behavior:
b. Business community
c. Legal community
d. Medical community
e. Media, civic and recreation community
- Efforts to encourage the media industry to exercise self-restraint in the promotion of violence.
- Efforts to encourage the pornography industry to exercise self-restraint in the promotion of sexually violent pornography. (1991).
Family Services
- Support a single point of entry services for coordinating family services. (1995) (2018)
- Support computerization of the services to simplify distribution of information and to eliminate duplication. (1995)
- Support a program to supplement the public transit system. (1995)
CONTINUING STUDIES
- Study revisions of the St. Louis Park City Charter.
- Study revisions of the St. Louis Park Comprehensive Plan.
- Study housing opportunities in St. Louis Park to meet future needs of the community.
TRANSLATING LOCAL LEAGUE POSITIONS INTO ACTION
Informal action begins with every member spreading interest and information in an ever-widening circle, starting with family, friends and neighbors. In addition, we can take action by carrying this information into the community through other organizations to which we belong. Supporting legislation, which furthers League’s Program, by contacting our legislators is another important action to take. No one should speak or write letters for the League without first checking with the President.
| 2021_lwvslp_proposed_program.pdf |
