National School Boards Association Applauds Louisiana Supreme Court Ruling to Strike Down Voucher Scheme

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National School Boards Association (NSBA) applauds the ruling by the Louisiana Supreme Court that finds the state's school vouchers unconstitutional.

The Louisiana voucher law has diverted taxpayers' money from public schools to private individuals and schools that are not subject to academic, operational, and accountability standards.

"NSBA stands for strong public school system for all students. Vouchers undermine that fundamental principle and, as the court concluded, violate constitutional principles, too," said NSBA President David A. Pickler. 

Working with the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA), NSBA pushed to overturn the law through an amicus brief in Louisiana Federation of Teachers v. State of Louisiana. That lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of several measures adopted by the Louisiana legislature, including the ploy to give vouchers to students in low-performing schools. The NSBA brief noted that the voucher scheme further aggravates the plight of academically challenged schools by taking away much-needed funds from low-performing public schools, thus perpetuating its own survival. 

"These kinds of gimmicks undermine our country's longstanding commitment to public education and steal resources from public school students," said NSBA Executive Director Thomas J. Gentzel. "These are not grassroots efforts being proposed by residents who are concerned about the education and future of the state's most vulnerable children, these are the products of out-of-state special-interest groups looking for profits."  

Under the provisions of the voucher law, Louisiana gives public funds to private schools, including religious schools, as "scholarships" to cover the tuition and fees of students whose parents choose to remove their children from public schools deemed "failing." However, the plan goes so far as to allow parents to use vouchers for their children as early as kindergarten, even if the child never attended a public school or the school is highly ranked.  

"We are pleased that the Louisiana Supreme Court has reaffirmed a basic tenet of the state Constitution: that taxpayer money should go to public schools that are open to all students," said LSBA Executive Director Scott Richard. "We hope all state residents can understand the dangerous precedent that a voucher program has set and how such a program undermines our local community schools. LSBA will continue to work towards its mission of service, support and leadership for local school boards and to ensure a quality public education for all students." 

NSBA opposes private school vouchers and tuition tax subsidies, which have continuously failed to improve student achievement. NSBA is committed to defeating legislation and initiatives that unconstitutionally divert taxpayers' funds from public schools to private and religious institutions that can exclude students for any reason.  

Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of school boards and their more than 90,000 local school board members throughout the U.S. Working with and through our state associations, NSBA advocates for equity and excellence in public education through school board leadership. www.nsba.org

SOURCE National School Board Association

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Shopping Center Industry Applauds The Passage Of Marketplace Fairness Act In The Senate

The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 Passes the U.S. Senate in a 69-27 Vote

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) today applauded the United States Senate for the passage of The Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013 in a 69-27 vote. The bipartisan legislation gives states the authority to choose to require online sellers to collect sales taxes just like brick-and-mortar retailers already do. The bill, which provides a common-sense solution to a decades-old problem that has created a distorted marketplace, is designed to promote fairness and compliance, without burdening free enterprise.

"The shopping center industry would like to thank Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) for their resolute dedication to moving this critical piece of legislation through the Senate," said Michael P. Kercheval, president and CEO of ICSC. "The Marketplace Fairness Act creates a fair marketplace that protects retailers, restores the states' ability to manage their own fiscal policies and strengthens the United States' free enterprise system."

Sixty-nine Senators from both parties voted in favor of S. 743, demonstrating the tremendous momentum for creating a fair, competitive marketplace. The bipartisan passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act sends a strong message to the House of Representatives, where a companion bill, H.R. 684, was introduced in February.

"For the past two decades, the retail environment has dramatically changed. To keep pace with those changes, our laws must evolve," said Betsy Laird, senior vice president of global public policy of ICSC. "The Senate acknowledged this through the passage of this legislation and we now look to the House to continue the momentum and bring H.R. 684 to a vote."

ICSC has promoted sales tax fairness for over a decade, advocating that a "sale is a sale" regardless of whether the purchase takes place on Main Street, at shopping centers, over the Internet or with a smart phone. For more information about sales tax fairness and how the current sales tax system is unable to support the 21^st century retail marketplace please visit www.21stcenturyretail.org.

About ICSC
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 58,000 members in over 90 countries include shopping center owners, retailers, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, and brokers as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world. For more information, visit www.icsc.org.

SOURCE International Council of Shopping Centers

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AARP Applauds Governor's Veto of Senate Bill 9; Urges General Assembly to Uphold

CHICAGO, May 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP commends Governor Pat Quinn for his veto of Senate Bill 9 and urges the General Assembly to uphold it.

"AARP applauds Governor Quinn's decision to veto this premature and bad public policy that has nothing to do with infrastructure development or service improvement and everything to do with higher profits for the utility companies," said AARP Illinois State Director Bob Gallo. "AARP is adamantly opposed to the Illinois legislature's attempts to tip the legislative and regulatory balance in favor of the utility companies, allowing them to continue to dig deeper into consumers' pockets, and we are inviting our members and all Illinois consumers to join us in fighting against these unfair and unwarranted rate hikes."

SB 9 is follow up to the controversial 2011 legislation (SB1652) passed by the Illinois General Assembly writing utility company profits into state law by guaranteeing companies a return on equity of over 10 percent, and nearly automatic annual rate increases.

SB 9 further tilts the balance in favor of Illinois utility companies by allowing them to circumvent Illinois' regulatory process and avoid paying back a multi-million dollar rate cut ordered by the Illinois Commerce Commission last year. The language in SB 9 allows ComEd and Ameren to not only avoid paying refunds to consumers; it allows them to instead receive a retroactive rate hike with interest.

Illinois General Assembly passage of SB9 was premature since the utility's objections to the ICC rate cut decision are currently under consideration by the Illinois Appellate Court. SB9 also further ties the hands of the ICC by deeming ComEd and Ameren to be in compliance with their promised performance metrics, despite ComEd's delayed implementation of smart meters.

According to a 2012 AARP survey of Illinois members, 64 percent of the Association's 1.7 million members are concerned about affording their utilities. In addition to the potential electric rate hikes facing consumers with SB9, a number of other bills that could raise consumers' rates for natural gas, water and telephone service are also pending in Illinois General Assembly this session.

AARP has started traveling across Illinois to help inform citizens about these bills, their rights as consumers and help them fight back by contacting their legislators and urging them to stand up for their constituents. AARP will be hosting Say No to Rate Hikes town hall forums in Decatur on May 7, in Peoria on May 11, in Chicago on May 13 and 14, and will host events Springfield and Edwardsville on May 15 and 17, respectively.

Consumers can take action right now by calling, toll-free, 1-800-719-3020 to be connected to their legislators, or going online to http://saynotoratehikes.com, to send them a message and urge them to vote no on these bills. Illinoisans can register to attend events in Decatur, Peoria and Chicago online at AARP.cvent.com/saynotoratehikes or use the Twitter hashtag #affordableutilitiesnow to tweet if their rates are too high.

Become a fan of AARP Illinois on Facebook - www.facebook.com/aarpillinois 
Follow us on Twitter - www.twitter.com/aarpillinois

SOURCE AARP Illinois

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NAWBO® Applauds President For His Selection Of Penny Pritzker As Commerce Secretary And Michael Froman To Be The Next U.S. Trade Representative

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- "NAWBO applauds the President for his selection of two highly-qualified and capable individuals to lead such prominent posts within his Administration," said Diane Tomb, President & CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners. "Both have the vision and expertise necessary to play integral roles in our nation's government and continue to get our economy on track."

From the White House Rose Garden, President Obama nominated Penny Pritzker as his new Commerce Secretary and Michael Froman to be the next U.S. Trade Representative.  

"Women business owners are the fastest-growing segment of the country's economy," said Tomb. "In his selection of Penny Pritzker to lead the Commerce Department, President Obama shows he is committed to harnessing that economic driver. We agree with the President that Penny Pritzker is one of the most accomplished and respected women business owners and are confident she will translate her skills developed as a business owner to the public sector as she leads the Department of Commerce to promote job creation and economic growth."

About NAWBO®
Founded in 1975, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide by: strengthening the wealth creating capacity of our members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community; creating innovative and effective change in the business culture; building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations; and transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers. Learn more at www.nawbo.org.

Media Contact:
Christina Jorgensen
NAWBO Communications
(818) 772-9555, ext. 103

SOURCE National Association of Women Business Owners

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NHCLC Applauds Proposed Senate Immigration Reform Bill

We Are Inches Away from Crossing the 'Jordan' of Reform

WASHINGTON, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the nation's largest Christian Hispanic organization, the Hispanic Evangelical Association, and NHCLC President, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, applaud the proposed Senate bill on immigration reform.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120912/CL72800LOGO )

Rodriguez will join Senator Marco Rubio and the bipartisan Senate "Gang of Eight" in a press conference in Washington, D.C on Thursday, April 18, 2013, as they outline their proposed immigration reform bill. The Senate introduced legislation, which serves to solve the immigration reform process, at 2 a.m. this morning (http://www.schumer.senate.gov/forms/immigration.pdf).

Rev. Rodriguez, praising this movement and momentum for reform, said, "Engaging a biblical narrative as a metaphor, the immigration cause no longer resides in the Egypt of political apathy or the desert of inevitable deportation. Today, this just cause stands before the 'Jordan' called reform. With prophetic courage, spiritual fortitude and political will, we will cross into the promise land of integration thus protecting our values, borders and dream.

"Ironically the same issue that once polarized our nation now serves as a conduit for bipartisan collaboration. Now is the time."

Today, on the same day that the Senate introduced immigration reform legislation, hundreds of evangelical congregants and leaders from over 24 states descended upon Washington, D.C. for the first-ever national "Evangelical Day of Prayer and Action on Immigration Reform." Dr. Carlos Moran, Board Member, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and NHCLC Immigration Spokesperson is one of several leaders speaking at this event in D.C, many of whom believe the Unites States is on the verge of a major and much anticipated breakthrough on immigration reform.

Dr. Carlos Moran, said, "As Evangelicals, as born again believers, as the spiritual heirs to the mantles of Billy Graham and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we affirm our conviction that it is the time to reconcile border security with security of our values; values that include faith, hope and charity. Values that prompt us to worship our Lord and welcome the stranger. For at the end of the day, passing immigration reform is not, as Rev. Samuel Rodriguez reminds us, about advancing the agenda of the donkey or the elephant. Immigration reform is about living out the agenda of the lamb."

Rev. Wilfredo "Choco" DeJesus, profiled along with Rev. Rodriguez's description of the Latino Reformation in the April 15th TIME magazine feature story, and Pastor of New Life Covenant Church, NHCLC Vice President and NHCLC Illinois Chapter Director, said, "Comprehensive Immigration Reform is long overdue. As long as a pathway to citizenship remains at the heart of this bill I remain hopeful that undocumented families will be offered the opportunity to stay together and not be torn apart by our current broken immigration system. These families are woven into the fabric of our daily lives – their children attend school with our children, they worship and are active in our churches, they are contributing members of our society. As a pastor and NHCLC Vice President of Social Justice, I will continue to advocate and stand for the millions of undocumented families that deserve a pathway to citizenship as the word of God instructs me to do."

ABOUT THE NHCLC  
The National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, the nation's largest Christian Hispanic organization, is the Hispanic Evangelical Association unifying, serving and representing millions in the Hispanic Born Again Community-including Puerto Rico-via 40,118 member churches by reconciling the vertical and horizontal of the Christian message through the 7 Directives Including Family, Life, Compassionate Evangelism, Stewardship, Justice, Education and Youth.

TO BOOK an INTERVIEW or SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT with REV. SAMUEL RODRIGUEZ
Matti Stevenson • 719.360.0586 • mattistevenson@nhclc.org

SOURCE National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

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