THE HOW, WHERE AND WHY OF DENTON’S WATER SUPPLY

Where do we obtain our water? How does the City make it safe for us to drink? How do we use (or abuse) it? Where do we send it?

These and many other questions will be answered at our September 8 meeting, when we will hear a fascinating presentation by Dr. Ken Banks, Manager of the Division of Environmental Quality at the City of Denton and adjunct faculty member at the University of North Texas.  Dr. Banks will teach us our watershed address, present findings of pollution studies within the City, and discuss the effects of our personal and industrial activities on our precious and limited water supply.

PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR AND JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE SEASON.

YOU CAN IMPACT LEAGUE PROGRAM

The League is committed to giving members the maximum possible opportunity to participate in the member agreement process.  Our September 22 meeting will involve us in two important studies being conducted by LWV-Texas.  See pp. 4-6.

 

PRESIDENT’S PODIUM

Welcome to LWV-Denton, 2005-2006.  I hope you had a nice summer break and are ready for a busy League year.  If you think you are seeing double when you read the calendar, don’t make an appointment with your eye doctor.  We have scheduled two meetings a month several times this year due to LWV-TX consensus deadlines and pressing local studies.  Those who have been members a long time will remember when we had two separate units that each met twice a month, Wednesday mornings and Thursday evenings.  As our membership changed from working at home to working outside the home, we dropped the morning unit and met on Thursday evening only.  So fast forward to the past and get ready for an interesting year.

To better communicate with members, it would be very helpful to have email addresses.  I forward notices from LWV-TX and LWV-US and send reminders of our general meetings.  If your email address is not in the membership handbook, please send me yours at lwvdenton@earthlink.net.

Sue Smith

 

NEED MATERIAL FOR ARCHIVES

Not too many members know that the LWV-Denton has its archives stored in the Special Collections at Texas Woman’s University.  The material was deposited some time in the 1980’s and nothing has been added to the collection since that time.  Now is the time to search your League files and see if you can help our Denton League fill in the gaps in our history.

What we need

Materials should be those produced by the Denton organization, not those published by LWV-Texas or LWVUS.  (The state organization, the League of Women Voters of Texas, has its own archives at Texas Tech University.) 

We have a run of newsletters (the Denton VOTER) from the Summer 1996 through May 2005, with the exception of issues that came out after December 2002 but before September 2003.  If you have any of those missing issues, we need your copies. And if you have VOTERs printed prior to Summer 1996 you would make our day!

VOTERS GUIDES (VGs) published by LWV-Denton are another item to add to our archives.  We have ready to add to the collection the following VGs: March 12, 2002; May 4, 2002; November 5, 2002; May 3, 2003; November 2, 2004; and May 7, 2005.  Anyone have any others?

Minutes of the local Board meetings, as compiled by the last two secretaries, will be placed in the archives.

Anyone remember the weekend expedition the LWV-Denton made to the Big Thicket in the 1970’s?  Well, I’ve got a program from the banquet held there that I plan to put in the archives.

If you’re not sure whether the items you have should be added, please contact Sondra Ferstl at smferstl@charter.net or (940) 383-3775.  Let’s bring our local League history up to date for future generations.

Sondra Ferstl
Community Relations Vice President

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LWV-Denton Calendar
2005-2006

Unless otherwise specified, Thursday meetings are 7 – 9 p.m. in the EESAT Building, Hickory and Avenue C, on the University of North Texas campus.  Board meetings are Sunday afternoons at 3 p.m. at the home of Peg LaPoint.  Topics and dates subject to change.

Sunday, August 7 – Board meeting,  3 p.m., Peg LaPoint’s.  Members are welcome to attend Board meetings.

Thursday, September 8 – Water in Denton
Sunday, September 18 – Board meeting
Thursday, September 22 – Consensus meeting on LWV-Texas studies on Public Transportation and Drug Policy Reform

Sunday, October 9 – Board meeting
Thursday, October 13 – Consensus meeting on LWV-Denton study on Corporate Marketing in the Denton Independent School District
Thursday, October 27 -  Proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution for decision in the November election

Sunday, November 6 – Board meeting
Thursday, November 17 – Denton Public Library System funding: Speaker: Eva Poole, Director of Libraries.  Meeting to be held at the Emily Fowler Central Library.

Sunday, December 11 – Board meeting
Thursday, December 15 – Holiday party and State and National Program Planning

Sunday, January 15 – Board meeting
Thursday, January 26 -  Local Program planning

Thursday, February 9 – Domestic violence in Denton
Sunday, February 12 – Board meeting
Thursday, February 23 – Year of the Voter: Voting machines – new equipment in Denton

Sunday, March 5 – Board meeting
Thursday, March 23 – Consensus meeting on library funding study, Emily Fowler Central Library.

Sunday, April 2 – Board meeting
Thursday, April 6 – Immigration
Friday – Sunday, April 21-23 – LWV-TX Convention (Austin?)
Saturday, April 29 – LWV-Denton Annual Meeting  (morning)

Friday – Tuesday, June 9 – 13, LWVUS Convention, Minneapolis

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INFORMATION FOR THE SEPTEMBER 22 MEETING

Peg La Point, Vice President for Program

The following is a brief description of the studies and the consensus questions that we will address.  More information will be available at the meeting.

Please put your thoughts together in advance so we can respond on both issues that evening. Please bring this Denton Voter with you to save making more copies.

STATE STUDY: DRUG LAWS AND POLICIES IN TEXAS

There is much debate whether lawmakers should approach drug abuse and/or addiction as a criminal problem, a medical problem, or other.  Drug abuse is defined as a disease characterized by continued misuse of drugs even when faced with drug-related job, legal, health, or family difficulties.  Problems associated with drug abuse must have a prevalence of at least 12 months to meet the diagnosis.  Drug addiction is a brain disease according to the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Changes take place in the brain, elevating dopamine levels that create a compulsive use, craving, sensitization, tolerance, and undesirable symptoms of withdrawal.

Proponents of the criminalization argue that without tough laws and enforcement, drug abuse and addiction would be an even more serious problem.  Proponents of drug legalization argue that the current policy hasn’t stopped abuse and use, that legalizing drugs would take the enormous profit out of drugs, and it would eliminate the intrigue associated with obtaining illegal drugs, especially among the young.

CONSENSUS QUESTION 1: Do you consider substance abuse: a) A public health issue; b) A criminal issue; c) Other?

QUESTION 2:  Do you consider drug addiction: a) A public health issue; b) A criminal issue; c) Other?

There is debate about the effectiveness of educational programs aimed at prevention.  Studies of the DARE program have shown it to be ineffective and there are efforts to revise or replace the program.  Another major issue is clean needle/syringe exchange programs.  The Center for Disease Control indicates these are effective in reducing disease and do not increase drug use.  Opponents say any “harm-reduction” activity encourages use.

QUESTION 3:  What preventive measures if any would you support?  a) Educational programs aimed at keeping children from using drugs; b) Public education programs directed to adults; c) Sterile needle and syringe exchange programs to prevent blood-borne diseases; d) Other?

Laws regarding illicit drug use have focused on criminal penalties.  Penalties increase with the amount of drugs found.  Charges for delivery of a drug are more serious than simple possession. Convictions have caused the prison population to explode and brought charges of racial discrimination. Proponents of drug treatment programs claim that drug treatment is cheaper and more effective than incarceration.  Proponents of prosecuting pregnant users feel it will be a deterrent.  Opponents argue the threat of prosecution will keep women from seeking health care.  The use of medical marijuana is against federal law and the federal government can prosecute patients in states where use of cannabis (marijuana) as a medicinal herb is legal.

QUESTION 4:  What should laws regarding drug abuse and addiction include?  a) Drug treatment programs as an alternative to incarceration; b) Prosecution of drug-using pregnant women; c) Criminal penalties for marijuana possession when recommended by a physician; d) Other?

QUESTION 5: Should criminal penalties for possession of cannabis by adults be: a) Eliminated; b) A misdemeanor; c) A felony; d) Other?

QUESTION 6: Should criminal penalties for possession of cannabis by adults with intent to distribute be: a) Eliminated; b) A misdemeanor; c) A felony; d) Other?

QUESTION 7: Should criminal penalties for possession by adults of illegal drugs other than cannabis be: a) Eliminated; b) A misdemeanor; c) A felony; d) Other?

QUESTION 8: Should criminal penalties for possession by adults of illegal drugs other than cannabis with intent to distribute be: a) Eliminated; b) A misdemeanor; c) A felony; d) Other?

QUESTION 9: How should the programs selected in questions 3 and 4 be funded: a) Local Government; b) State Government; c) Federal Government; d) Private sector.

STATE STUDY: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN TEXAS

Transportation planning and strategies are a mixed bag in Texas.  League surveys indicate that public transportation is available, usually by prearrangement, for disabled and senior citizens.  Public transportation for youth and low-income persons is available only in areas served by a public transit system.  Federal and state law requires public review of proposed transportation plans and projects.  2005 Census Bureau projections indicate that by 2030, Texas population will grow 59.8 percent, to 33,317,744.  The American Lung Association ranked Dallas-Fort Worth as the 8^th worst air quality area in the nation.  Houston was the 6^th worst.

QUESTION 1:  How should planning for transportation projects be accomplished?

a)      Cooperation and coordination among agencies and different levels of government

b)      Timely informed citizen input in the planning process

c)      Selecting projects based on needs assessment

d)      Analyses of alternate routes and modes

e)      Analyses of environmental impact

f)        Measures providing public transportation to groups who do not have, or cannot drive, a private auto

g)      Policies encouraging the integration of various modes of transportation to promote seamless systems

h)      Other

QUESTION 2: Should planning for transportation and related land use include the following strategies in order to influence travel behavior?

a)      Parking fees

b)      Taxes

c)      Tolls

d)      Alternatives to single occupancy vehicles (HOV lanes, car/van pools, bicycle lanes)

e)      Flexible lanes for high traffic times

f)        Land use policies to encourage mixed use development coordinated with public transportation

g)      Other

Transportation funding is a critical issue.  The Texas Legislature confirmed that major new or expanded highways will almost always be toll roads.  Current free roads could be made toll roads by a public vote. Pass-through tolling provides annual subsidies to local entities (based on the level of local use) to offset the need for collecting tolls. This allows local planning without waiting years for state highway money.  Another type of toll road is one that will have new toll lanes and existing free lanes.  Some feel that large trucks should pay increased use taxes to address the additional wear they cause.  Federal funding provides 90.5 cents for each dollar of federal gas taxes collected in the state.  The Texas legislature authorized the 4,000 mile, Trans-Texas Corridor which bypasses all large centers of population and is expected to take 50 years to complete. Currently, it is to be funded through private developer sources. Many regions in the state are exploring regional rail service.  Impediments include taxing authority, governance, and prioritization of service areas within the region.

QUESTION 3: How should construction maintenance and/or expansion of transportation projects be funded?

a)      Tolls on new highways

b)      Tolls on existing highways

c)      Regional rail authorities with taxing ability

d)      Federal funding

e)      Usage taxes for commercial vehicles

f)        Local taxes.  If yes, should they be sales, user, gas, other?

g)      State taxes.  If yes, should they be sales, user, gas, other?

h)      Bonds

i)        Private sources (developers, etc.)

j)        Other

QUESTION 4: To alleviate congestion on Texas highways, should existing routes be expanded to include: a) Added highway lanes; b) Added passenger rail service; c) Expanded freight railroad lines; d) Other?

QUESTION 5: To alleviate congestion on Texas highways, should new routes connect major Texas centers of population?

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