Inside This Issue:
- County Dems Tackle Violent Crime with Multi-Layered Initiatives
- As Funding Sources Change, Crime Stoppers of Houston Shifts Messaging to Attack Democrats
- Primary Runoff Election Planning Moves Forward
- County Commissioners to Create Front-Line Worker Advisory Board
- The National Impact of ASSTax
- April 26 Deadline to Request Mail Ballot for May 7 Election
- Early Voting for May 7 Election Begins April 25
- Action Alert from The Innocence Project
- Calling All Volunteers: Join the HCDP 2022 Road Show!
- For Our Precinct Chairs
- Help Support HCDP Through Our Membership Program
- Girl Scouts Visit HCDP to Learn More About Civic Engagement
- Plan to Attend Our Meet-and-Greet: With Luke Warford for Texas Railroad Commissioner
County Dems Tackle Violent Crime with Multi-Layered Initiatives
County Dems are tackling violent crime using a multi-layered approach to balance crime prevention and criminal justice responses. This week’s rule change requiring bondsmen to charge their clients a minimum 10 percent fee is one of many public-safety strategies.
Earlier this year, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston Police Department announced the One Safe Houston Crime Reduction Initiative, which focuses on Violence Reduction and Crime Prevention; Crisis Intervention, Response and Recovery; Youth Outreach Opportunities; and Key Community Partnerships.
Two new pilot programs launched by Harris County Public Health use a public health approach to address root causes of community violence and respond to those in crisis. The Community Violence Interruption Program (CVIP) and Holistic Assistance Response Teams (HART) will put additional social, medical and behavioral health resources in the community.
Hot-spot policing concentrates on deterring violent repeat offenders and responding to violent crimes. In a pilot Harris County program, nearly 100 deputies are targeting seven violent-crime hot spots. Crime data from the areas will be analyzed to determine the impact.
The One Safe Houston crime reduction initiative creates a $1 million gun buyback program to prevent unwanted and unused firearms from ending up in the wrong hands. This is part of a multi-pronged approach to improving public safety.
Instead of pointing fingers and blaming others during a national violent crime wave, Harris County Democrats are tackling the issue head-on with data-based strategies, rigorous test programs and quality-of-life investments.
As Funding Sources Change, Crime Stoppers of Houston Shifts Messaging to Attack Democrats
Crime Stoppers of Houston, the popular tip service aimed at helping law enforcement solve crimes, has begun what appears to be a messaging campaign intended to attack Democratic judges in Harris County. Although Crime Stoppers continues to claim neutrality regarding political issues, recent statements by the organization have fired shots at Democratic judges who supported shifts in city policies that inadvertently led to a revenue-loss for Crime Stoppers.
“The evolution of Crime Stoppers of Houston underscores the potential conflicts of interest that can arise when charities become dependent on financial support from politicians.”
Primary Runoff Election Planning Moves Forward
After a needlessly partisan process filled with vitriol and shameless grandstanding from Republicans, the 260 polling locations for the May 24 Primary Runoff Election have been agreed to between HCDP and the Harris County Republican Party, as is required by the Texas Election Code.
It is unfortunate that without affirmative action from HCDP, the Republican list of polling locations would have left out vast areas of our county, mostly and unsurprisingly, in Black and brown communities. Once again, Republicans have revealed who they are, and we called them out on it. Sunlight is indeed the best disinfectant.
In the end, our team of Democrats remained steadfast in the face of an intransigent GOP and fought tirelessly to achieve a result that, although imperfect, will equitably serve all of the voters of Harris County.
County Commissioners to Create Front-Line Worker Advisory Board
Next month, the county’s commissioners will choose five members to serve on a new, local body that will offer frontline workers a formal say in workplace health and safety policies. The Harris County Essential Workers Board “is the latest effort by workers nationwide to leverage the hard lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic to advocate for better working conditions going forward.”
The National Impact of ASSTax
Gov. Abbott’s short-lived border policy/political stunt caused delays that have contributed to supply-chain issues, resulting in product shortages and higher prices for consumers and businesses. Nationwide people will be impacted by this "Abbott Supply-Chain Surcharge," or "A.S.S. tax."
Consumers will pay a price for Gov. Abbott’s border antics as producers look to recoup some of their losses and supplies run low. "This is not just a localized issue…. It's going to hit you in St. Louis or up in Seattle,” Jerry Pacheco, president and chief executive officer of the Border Industrial Association in New Mexico, told CNN this week.
"Abbott's latest political stunt comes at a high cost and demonstrates — once again — that the governor has utter disregard for the lives and livelihoods of Texans,” said HCDP Chair Odus Evbagharu. "Because of the governor's political games, consumers will be forced to pay an 'Abbott Supply Chain Surcharge' on goods, and the A.S.S. tax is going to take a chunk out of all our wallets."
April 26 Deadline to Request Mail Ballot for May 7 Election
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There are only 4 days left to request a mail ballot for the May 7 election. Find a ballot application and read about this year’s VBM application changes here |
Early Voting for May 7 Election Begins April 25
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Do you have a plan to vote? Early voting for the May 7 election is Monday, April 25-Tuesday, May 3!!! Find helpful information about the election Learn more. |
Action Alert from The Innocence Project
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We have just five days to stop the execution of Melissa Lucio for a crime that never occurred. Will you call Gov. Greg Abbott and urge him to stop the execution and grant Melissa clemency? 956-446-2866 #SaveMelissaLucio |
Calling All Volunteers: Join the HCDP 2022 Road Show!
The HCDP 2022 Road Show continues this weekend with HD 128, Chuck Crews!
HD 128 - Chuck Crews
Event & Canvass on 4/23
Phone Bank on 4/26
Canvass on 4/30
We are going to pause in May to focus on the Primary Runoff Election- but please feel free to join us in calling votes every Monday and Thursday at 5pm! Sign up here.
HD 138 - Stephanie Morales
Event & Canvass on 6/4
Phone Bank on 6/7
Canvass on 6/11
HD 150 - Ginny Brown Daniel
Event & Canvass on 6/18
Phone Bank on 6/21
Canvass on 6/25
Also plan to attend:
Local GOTV Phone Bank
Bake Back Better in Harris County
For Our Precinct Chairs
Precinct Chair badges are now available for purchase!
If you are an upcoming Precinct Chair order by June 1 and you will be able to pick up at the June CEC.
The cost of the badge is $13.
Upcoming Training Opportunity
Also, don't forget we have training every Wednesday evening about Organizing and all the other things a Precinct Chair or Captain needs to know! Find upcoming training and volunteer events here.
Help Support HCDP Through Our Membership Program
Work by the Harris County Democratic Party is supported through our membership program.
- Friend of HCDP - $10 a month
- Ally of HCDP - $15 a month
- Activist of HCDP - $30 a month
- Advocate of HCDP - $60 a month
- Champion of HCDP - $125 a month
Sustaining members who donate a regular monthly or annual amount allow us to underwrite our day-to-day operations. This is how we pay our staff. This is how we support Democratic candidates. This is how we fund our voter outreach.
This is how we help elect more Democrats to office.
Girl Scouts Visit HCDP to Learn More About Civic Engagement
This week, Team HCDP hosted a fabulous group of Girl Scouts working on their democracy badge. Guest speaker Council Member Abbie Kamin talked about government and the importance of civic engagement — and fielded some great questions! We have a bright future with girls like these in our community.
Plan to Attend Our Meet-and-Greet: With Luke Warford for Texas Railroad Commissioner
Meet Luke Warford, the Democratic candidate for Texas Railroad Commission, on April 29 at HCDP headquarters. Luke is running for a spot on the three-person commission regulating the state’s oil and gas industry “because I genuinely think this is one of the most important elected offices in the state and because the current people serving on the commission are only looking out for their interests and the interests of their friends, not the interests of Texans.”
“No time was that clearer than during the winter storm,” Warford told the Texas Tribune, faulting the commission for not doing enough to ensure natural gas companies “weatherize” their facilities, or prepare them for extreme weather.
Stay Energized!
Team HCDP