Austin Transportation Department Acts Against The Public Interest

At a time when Capitol Metro is decreasing services while increasing fares, and Taxies regularlyrefuse short haul services to the Senior’s, Disabled and others within our communities to andfrom their local markets and Pharmacies, the Austin Transportation Department has consistentlythrown roadblocks that thwart the use of

low cost

Electric Vehicles for Hire.While the use of LSVs (Low Speed Electric Vehicles) has been encouraged by the City of Austinsince 1995, and Austin Energy has disbursed tens of thousands indirect rebates to purchasers of Electric Vehicles, our visionarycity leaders and the Austin Transportation Department has stead-fastly rejected the only innovative and cost effective proposal thatresponds to the needs of the people.The idea of using LSV’s (Low Speed Electric Vehicles) as a modeof public transportation was proposed to the

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We are the risk takers; Weare the innovators; Weare the developers of new models.Maggie Kuhn, Founder

The Gray Panthers is an intergenerational, multi-issue national social action organization dedication to three main causes…

the environment, health care and peace.

The Gray Panthers of Austin are coming together with renewed and dedicated commitment tomake a real difference in our City, State, and Nation.At our Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanzaa Party and meeting we elected four new activist board mem-bers. They are Chris Neilson, Beverly Henson and Sharron & Leslie Aisenman. Chris and Beverly,son and mother, are not new to our struggles and both bring a lot of passionto the front lines. Sharron and Leslie are recent California transplants andbring their grassroots hands-on experience with them.Chris is engaged in an ongoing battle with the City, the TransportationBoard and Capitol Metro to allow electric cabs to operate legally in our City. Beverly is an ex-union organizer with loads of energy and fiercedetermination.Leslie is our new tactician who brings a new and innovative way of ap-proaching Direct Action. He says we need to ask the right questions and letpeople supply their own answers, such as:What happened to the $200 million given to Cap Metro for Job Creation? Why do all of our gov-ernment entities refuse to investigate well documented allegations of possible corruption in jobstimulus funds and housing funds?Sharron is already responsible for our new look newsletter.Please join with us as we begin the New Year of 2011 with hope, a surplus of justified outrage anda new program of well thought out direct action, to start bringing our city, state, and country backto where they belong. On the side of the people.

People over Profit…Responsibility over Power…People over Profit…Responsibility over Power…People over Profit…Responsibility over Power…People over Profit…Responsibility over Power…Democracy over Institutions!Democracy over Institutions!Democracy over Institutions!Democracy over Institutions!

Gray Panthers of Austin’s Newly Elected Board Members for 2011

Gary Dugger (Convener)Paula Traffas (Secretary)Kathy Tyler (Treasurer)Leslie AisenmanSharron AisenmanPatricia Bordie,Beverly HensonVera JanesChris Nielsen

Pictured Below: Austin GP

Holiday Party

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Message from Gary Dugger, Austin Gray Panthers Convener

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Austin City Council in June, 2008. Since then the Capital Outlay of every City Council budget meeting reflectsthat the City of Austin has spent taxpayer dollars on Electric Vehicles for the express purpose of transportingpassengers on public roadways. But, when the city was petitioned to allow these vehicles to provide commer-cial transport for the many citizens who might benefit from such a lower cost alternative, the Austin Transporta-tion Dept. straight away dismissed the concept. Why? Because in the opinion of the department’s Director,Robert Spillar, LSV’s are unsafe for use, this in the face of findings by the National Highway Transportation andSafety Admin. certifying them to be safe for street use. When confronted with the NTSA study results andguidelines, Austin’s Trans. Dept. denies that the Federal guidelines are valid while producing no evidence to thecontrary. And our city fathers and mothers seem afflicted with a sudden case of deafness.

Something seem wrong here?

Who benefits from such a high handed and unfounded position? Obviouslysome oxen might be gored. Cap Metro, Taxies. Pedi-cabs, or??? Progress and change often brings loss tosome. But it is the interests of the people that must reign paramount. LSVs are the most cost effective andefficient mode of urban transport available today. With a 50+ mile range and no need for imported gas, the op-erational cost of an LSV is minimal to say the least. Traditional LSVs cost under $0.25 to fully charge, less than½ a cent per mile, and models are available with solar roof kits, decreasing the charging cost still further. In a time where energy hasnever been more precious and our dependence upon fossil fuels has proven to be the bane of our civilization, we as a society must em-brace alternatives that offer solutions, not persecute the innovators while ignoring the public's interest.

Chris Nielsen

Gray Panthers of Austin,

Convener: Gary Dugger 512-225-4789; Ofc: 512-458-3738 www.graypanthersaustin.org

3710 Cedar St, Box 15, Austin, TX 78705

Nat’l Gray Panthers

www.graypanthers.org

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Holiday Celebration/Meeting Tops Off 2010

Tex. Rep. Elliott Naishtat’s Dire Warning to New Mexico Motel Industry*

Chris Nielsen with hismother Beverly Henson(both new GP Board Members) enjoying theGP Holiday Party at Lyons Gardens.

On Dec. 5, 2010, The Gray Panther’s of Austin gathered at Lyons Gardens for a fes-tive Holiday Celebration of the accomplishments and failures of the year, and arededication to the challenges ahead in 2011. Members, activists and supportersgathered together for an afternoon of eating, schmoozing, and serious discussion.The event was filled with the joys and warmth of fellowship. We were welcomed byPanther Convener Garry Dugger, elected a New Board of Directors committed to amore activist 2011, and received a spirited message from Charlotte Flynn, AustinPanthers’ doyen and founding member.Our Guest Featured Speaker was Texas State Representative Elliot Naishtat. He laidout the gloomy legislative prospects with surprising good humor and insight.Pointing out that the Minority in the Texas House had even lost the ability to denythe chamber a quorum by going to New Mexico, as they had done in a previoussession and regaled his listeners with an hilarious account of a Capitol Hanukah candle lighting led byseveral Hassidic Rabbis and watched by a clueless Gov. Perry. He described the dance around a Meno-rah, in which he and Gov. Perry participated, as a cross between a Texas Two Step and a Jewish Hora.But Naishtat also called attention to the bitter legacy of Tom Delay’s criminal behavior that resulted in thepresent gerrymandered Republican dominated State Legislature and Congressional Delegation.With a 22 to 28 Billion Dollar shortfall in the current State budget, Representative Naishtat warned weshould anticipate draconian cuts in funding. Education , Social Services, in fact in all programs affectinglow income individuals and families, the disabled, seniors, any disadvantaged group, will be on the chop-ping block and the prime target of the state deficit hawks. Hecalled upon us in the Gray Panthers of Austin, and in all grass-roots groups to redouble our efforts to protect the hard won vic-tories of the past and to doggedly oppose the efforts of thosewho would, in effect, turn back the clock to a darker time.

Leslie Aisenman

Elliott Naishtat was one of

“

the Texas Eleven, a group of Texas Senate Democ- rats who fled Texas for Albuquerque, New Mexico for 46 days in 2003 aimed at preventing the passage of controversial redistricting legislation that would haveallegedly benefited Texas Republicans. A group of Texas House representatives,dubbed the Killer D’s, had fled the state earlier that same summer for the samereason.”

Wikipedia

Guest Speaker TexasRep. Elliott Naishtat

“

Never cease in the fight for peace, justice, and equality for all people. Be persistent in all that you do and don’t allowanyone to sway you from your conscience.”

...Leonard Peltier

Charlotte Flynn (left), AustinGray Panthers’ doyen andfounding member shown withGary Dugger, Convener at GPHoliday Celebration at LyonsGardens.

GPs eating, schmoozing, and discussing issues.

Putting people first is not only our mantra, it is our dedication and our Goal. In this time of Cor-porate-Governance in which our Supreme Court is now unable to tell the difference between alegal fiction and real, live, breathing human beings, in which their fully bought and paid for poli-ticians scream for tax cuts for the wealthy and deficit reductions on the backs of the poor andthe middle class, it’s time to build and reignite

New

coalitions like those that served the peoplein past struggles

against

institutional racism, war mongers, poverty, and

for

human rights,workers rights, women’s rights, immigrant rights and all forms of human freedoms.It is not enough to put out lonely calls for and against. It is not enough to talk among ourselvesand our counterparts; we must reach out to the broader population, because the people knowthings are not right! They may not know why. They may place blame on the wrong rootcauses. But being wrong is not their crime, it is ours, for our failure to communicate and organ-ize. In times like these it falls to us, to those unfettered to the corporate dominated media, tocontinually make our case without pushing people away.We know what causes deficits. It’s not social services but failed tax policies that have givenaway untold riches for little if any return. Why do so many young people believe Social Securitywill go broke before they can collect? Because we have

left the field to those who will employany method or fabrication to achieve their end, the destruction and privatization of one of themost popular programs in American history.Why does Cap Metro blithely attack its greatest source of public support, the transit bus riders,and under the guise of deficits raise rates regardless of social cost, while pandering to thesmallest service group by lowering the fares for the few who ride the Leander Trolley? We musttake the time to point to the possible corruption that resulted in the misuse of stimulus fundsintended to produce jobs and improved service for the people. Where was the outcry when theold Cap Metro Board covered their backsides with actions that appear to be Public Official Abuse or Corruption or Misuse of Public Funds? Why is there no demand for accountability,for investigation? We don’t need more laws, we need more effective enforcement and a vigor-ous prosecution of malfeasance by elected and appointed officers and officials. Activism on the local level is the People’s source of power and redress. Since Corporate power is wielded best in a social vacuum where it can function with little or no opposition, it does eve-rything possible to control the fountains of ideas and information. We are no longer a Nation of readers. The Benjamin Franklin’s and Thomas Paine’s who agitated and roused a nation withnewssheets and pamphlets are no longer able to get traction. For decades Corporate Power has extended its reach into every aspect of American society, almost without opposition. Todayis different. With the Growth of a free and neutral internet ideas are beginning to circulate andgrow again. But for it to be able to empower a free society it must continue to be free and neu-tral so that new ideas will no longer be governed and controlled by wealth and political power.Dare to be free and stand up for the people.

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Never Forget!

Every City belongs to the people who inhabit it.Every County belongs to the people who inhabit it.

Every State belongs to the people who inhabit it, and...

“This Country, with its institutions,belongs to the people who inhabit it.Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amendingit, or their revolutionary right todismember or overthrow it.”

Abraham Lincoln

First Inaugural Address 1861

The People Must Come First

Clint Smith

, Nat’l Gray Panthers Executive Board

Austin Gray Panther, Charlotte Flynn (left) shownwith President Obama and unidentified person.

Report of the Austin Gray Panthers Executive Board Meeting Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Our newly elected Executive Board met at our newly selected monthly meeting place, the comfortable and accommodating Lyons Gardens. The new boardconfirmed the recommendation of Gary Dugger, Panther Convener, to expand a group of activist committees, headed up by Board Members.Membership Committee: Clint Smith Austin Panthers National Board member Direct Action Committee: Leslie AisenmanFundraising Committee: (Chairperson to be selected) Mobility Committee: Chris NielsenNewsletter Committee: Sharron Aisenman Legislative Committee: Paula TraffasEveryone is urged to become a part of one or more of these and join in developing and executing our many important activities. If there is an area of major concern that you wish to work in that is not represented here, come to our next meeting and put it on the floor.The New Board also approved a motion to actively oppose and protest Cap/Met’s policy of decreased services and increased fares for Transit dependentBus riders, while lowering fares and increasing subsidies for the Leander Trolley, the trolley to nowhere. We shall make our presence known and trumpetour popular opposition on the trolley line, the bus lines, and at Cap/Metro & City Council Meetings.Our next

open

board meeting on Tuesday, February 15, at 6:30PM, will be followed by coffee, cookies and a general membership meeting beginning at 7:15.We invite you to join with us and be a part of the Conversation and the Decision Making.

Bring a friend! Bring Many Friends!!! It’s time for Gray Panther Growth!

Regular Meetings will take place on the Second Tuesday of each Month at the same time and place.