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Upcoming events

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Chapter Meeting
Wednesday, May 26 at 7pm

Join us Wednesday, May 26 at 7pm for our chapter meeting. We will hear updates on local efforts to reduce policing in Santa Barbara, vote on our delegates for the 2021 National Convention (if you intend to run, please submit your candidacy before Wednesday), and learn what we can do to oppose apartheid and the continued subjugation of the Palestinian people. We will also hear updates on ways to get involved with our Fight for the Public campaign, the push for local public banking, and more. See you there!

Meeting link: https://dsausa.zoom.us/j/91622123330
RSVP on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/779198216099525
Delegate Candidate Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYsymksFITPw-Y9wzMsq2kbaIVtavZGlM2fOOX5arXDQMeog/viewform?usp=sf_link

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Fight for the Public Meeting
Wednesday, June 9 at 7pm

DSA SB’s ‘Fight for the Public’ campaign seeks to bring public workers and the local community together in solidarity to fund and protect public jobs and services.

Stop the Criminalization of Poverty

The DSA-SB steering committee opposes the further criminalization of poverty, and urges members to write to the Santa Barbara City Council and urge a NO vote on the proposed “sit–lie” ordinance that passed out of the ordinance committee on May 18. According to Noozhawk, “The committee voted 3-0 to recommend to the full City Council a prohibition on anyone unlawfully sitting or laying down on the sidewalk along Milpas Street between Carpinteria and Canon Perdido streets.” Contact SB City Council

Tell Carbajal: Quit Shilling for the Weapons Industry

Call Congressman Carbajal
(805) 730-1710

Script: My name is _____________________ and I'm your constituent in zip code: ________________. Please stop taking campaign contributions from weapons manufacturers, join the House Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, co-sponsor Betty McCollum's H.R. 2590 to protect the Palestinians and block future weapons sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia. Thank you

Email Congressman Carbajal
https://carbajal.house.gov/contact/

Please sign the CODEPINK pledge to refuse campaign contributions from the top five military contractors, as well as the NRA. A signed pledge can be emailed to [email protected]. Your campaign records on Open Secrets indicate you, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, accepted the following contributions in 2020 from large military contractors:

Raytheon: $11,000
Northrop Grumman: $10,100
Lockheed Martin: $10,000
Honeywell: $8,500
General Dynamics: $7,000

I also ask that you join the new House Defense Spending Reduction Caucus by contacting its co-chairs, Reps. Barbara Lee and Mark Pocan. Our bloated $740 billion military budget robs us of money urgently needed to provide health care, housing, education and environmental protection. You can't be a steward of our environment while supporting record high military budgets. The Pentagon is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

Finally, I ask you to co-sponsor Congresswoman Betty McCollum's bill
H.R. 2590 to protect Palestinian human rights and to vote against arm sales to Israel and Saudi Arabia, two countries with miserable records on human rights. Israel is an apartheid occupier committing atrocities in Gaza after trying to forcibly remove Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia has led a genocidal campaign in Yemen. Stop the weapon sales!

Public Banking Initiative Update

The DSA–SB steering committee supports the concept of Public Banks.

Rather than depositing public funds – our local-government tax and fees revenues – into Wall St. megabanks for the purpose of enriching their already-wealthy investors and investing in high-risk, speculative investments and noxious projects like fossil fuel infrastructure, private prisons, etc., a local public bank subject to heightened regulation will enable well-defined local control over how those public funds are invested, will save large amounts in banking fees and will enable the interest earned on deposits and loans to keep local governments fiscally healthy.

A public bank will enable emergency loans to local banks and credit unions when necessary, will enable low-interest loans to small businesses that benefit the community, along with public projects that enhance the quality of life of the community, like affordable housing, public school construction, public parks development, clean/renewable energy infrastructure, etc.

This initiative has already been authorized by state law. The California State Legislature passed and Governor Newsom signed AB 857 (Public Banks) in 2019. LA Times 10/2/19. There is demonstrable local support for this initiative: earlier this month the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors passed 4-1 a resolution of support for a central coast public bank viability study, and committed $25k for the study in conjunction with four other central coast counties. SB County Board of Supervisors 5/4/21. For more information, go to:

People for Public Banking Central Coast

California Public Banking Alliance

Public Banking Institute – recovery from Covid

Now that the County Board of Supervisors have adopted our resolution of support for a viability study to establish a Public Bank, we are now urging Mayor Murillo and the Santa Barbara City Council to adopt a similar resolution of support. If you agree, please write to the mayor and city council, and urge support for public banking. Contact SB City Council

Contact John Douglas at [email protected] for more information, documents.

Join our Communications Channels via WhatsApp.

dsasb.org/chat

Now more than ever, it's important to be in closer, digital contact with other organizers. SB DSA uses an optional digital platform for sharing info, discussions within working groups, coordinating last minute volunteer requests and more. This is a great first step for anyone wanting to get more involved as an ORGANIZER or VOLUNTEER.

First, install WhatsApp to your mobile device (download here) and set up your account. There is also an app available for desktops (Mac and PC). Open the app and set it up with your phone number.
After WhatsApp is set up, click this link to join our default Chapter Chat. Welcome! We can help you get set up if you have any technical difficulties