Polk County Democratic Party Weekly Digest: Sept. 13-19, 2021
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County Commissioners Urged to Increase COVID Relief Funding for Social Services
The local Democratic Party is urging Polk County commissioners to reconsider their plans to spend a meager 7% of the $140 million in COVID relief funding on health/social services and small business relief.
Commissioners have flagged that they will use the bulk of the money, or $82.7 million, on roughly 40 infrastructure improvement project. The amount earmarked for healthcare, the small business sector or social programs — with an idea for a homeless shelter among the funding proposals - is to be funded with a paltry $10.5 million.
Polk County DEC chair Catherine Price has called on local Democrats to voice their objections to this proposed spending breakdown, by attending the Polk County Commission budget hearing tonight, September 13.
"Polk County Democrats are stunned and outraged that, out of $140 million in Federal COVID relief dollars, the Republican-led Polk County Commission proposes to spend a paltry $10.5 million on healthcare, social services and small business relief. County Commissioners plan to keep 93% of these funds under their control while leaving pandemic depleted healthcare and social service organizations to financially go it alone. Their disregard for the needs and suffering of Polk County residents is shocking and tone deaf to the actual needs of the community."
The Polk County Commission budget hearing will be held from 6 pm at the Commission Boardroom, 330 West Church St., Bartow. Click here for the agenda.
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Meeting to form Education Caucus
A virtual meeting seeking Polk County Democrats' interest in forming an public education-focused caucus will be held September 23, from 6–7:30 pm.
If you support public education, want to have your voices heard, and want candidates who better support public education, while serving the needs of our children, please attend this important meeting about the formation of a Polk County Democratic Public Education Caucus.
For more information and to register, click here.
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To express your interest in being a Polk County DEC volunteer, click here to fill out our volunteer form.
For further information, email PolkCountyDemocrats@gmail.com |
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Florida Redistricting
Florida has now announced who will be on the state's redistricting committees. Find the full list here.
Florida Democrats will closely monitor the redistricting process and we will provide updates when sessions commence. For more information, here is the Florida House of Representatives Committee link and the State Senate Committee link.
See also: U.S. Census Bureau Data Available for States to Begin Redistricting Efforts
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Call to Action
Tell Florida Legislators: No Texas-Style Abortion Ban
Florida legislators need to understand that abortion is essential health care. They must work to ensure we all have the rights, freedoms, and opportunities to control our lives at the most basic level: our bodies, or families, and our life's page -- and that includes the right and ability to have an abortion.
Click here to send a letter to Florida lawmakers.
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Florida Democratic Party Hiring for Polk County
Join the Local Florida Democratic Party To Help Flip Florida Blue
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Virtual Event
Center for Common Ground, a non-partisan voting rights organization led by people of color, will host a virtual event today, September 13, to update Florida residents on what his happening to empower under-represented voters to fully participate in democracy. To register for the event, which will start at 6.30 pm, click here.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR - Legislative Delegation Meeting
Representative Colleen Burton, Chair Designate of the Polk County Legislative Delegation, has announced that a Legislative Delegation meeting will be held on October 26, from 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm, at the Center for Public Safety Building, 1251 Jim Keene Blvd., Winter Haven.
The annual public meeting is an opportunity for citizens, elected county and city officials and members of civic organizations to address the delegation before the 2022 state legislative session begins.
We have been advised that those interested in speaking before the delegation will have a chance to register starting Oct. 1. Further details will be provided when that system opens.
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H.R. 4 carries forward the legacy of Congressman John Lewis
Read Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison's opinion on the GOP’s opposition to H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act
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Winter Haven lawyer, activist Larry Hardaway dies at age 67
Hardaway served as president of the Polk County Voters League for more than 20 years, and he volunteered as a poll watcher for the Democratic Party during elections. He participated in discussions on the restoration of civil rights for people convicted of felonies.
Hardaway also served as the lawyer for the Winter Haven chapter of the NAACP.
For more, click here.
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Pence, Cruz, DeSantis to Headline Ricketts Steak Fry Event
While COVID-related crises continue to unfold across Florida, the governor ignores the pleas for leadership and prioritizes his bid for the GOP presidential race in 2024. More on the story here.
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LGBT Community Harder Hit by Economic Impact of Pandemic
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) adult population reported living in households with higher rates of food and economic insecurity than non-LGBT Americans, according to U.S. Census Bureau survey data released last month. For details, click here.
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Federal judge temporarily blocks Gov. DeSantis’ anti-riot bill
Gov. Ron DeSantis' court-related losing streak continued last week after U.S. District Judge Mark Walker of Tallahassee granted a temporary injunction against the so-called anti-protest law, prohibiting the enforcement of HB 1 until the issue is settled in court.
“HB1’s new definition of ‘riot’ both fails to put Floridians of ordinary intelligence on notice of what acts it criminalizes and encourages arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, making this provision vague to the point of unconstitutionality,” the order says. “It requires individuals to ‘speculate as to the meaning of penal statutes,’ at the risk of their liberty.”
Click here for more.
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Florida Realtors scrap plans for affordable housing ballot initiative in 2022
Florida Realtors has scrapped a campaign to protect affordable housing funds by constraining the Legislature, instead opting to reach a consensus with lawmakers.
On Tuesday, Realtors announced it is abandoning its attempt to gather enough signatures to secure a constitutional amendment that would have permanently blocked the use of the Sadowski Trust Fund for anything other than affordable housing.
Full story here.
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House Democrats again push for Medicaid expansion
Democrats in the Florida House are again adding their voices to a push to have Congress expand Medicaid in states that have long opposed increasing the number of people eligible for safety net health care coverage.
All 41 House Democrats signed a letter calling on the U.S. Senate to include a fix to the Medicaid coverage gap in the budget resolution now under consideration.
More information found here.
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Important Dates and Meetings
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Steering Committee & Regular DEC Meetings
The next Regular DEC Meeting will be held from 6.30 pm on Monday, September 13 Click here to register.
(Regular DEC meetings are on 2nd Monday of the month)
The next DEC Steering Committee meeting will be held on Monday, October 3. |
Caucus and Club Meetings
Lake Wales Area Democratic Club - Tuesday, Sept 14, at 7 p.m. Special guest speaker, US Congressman Darren Soto, FL 9th District
Northeast Polk Democratic Club - Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. Special guest speaker, Eddie Geller who is running for FL-15.
Upcoming Polk County DEC Mobilize Events
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Keep us up to date: If you would like to feature what your club or caucus is doing or introduce a new president, other office holder or person of interest, please send information to polkdemwd@gmail.com
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Democratic Party of Polk County, Club & Caucus Links
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Mailing Address:
Due to the pandemic the Democratic Party of Polk County has closed the office in Lakeland.
The mailing address is the following:
The Democratic Party of Polk County, 6039 Cypress Gardens Boulevard, Suite 328, Winter Haven, FL 33884
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