Redistricting – November 4
The Disability Poverty Trap – November 17
(West Palm Beach, FL – October 25, 2021) The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County (LWVPBC)today invited concerned adults to tw0 timely, informative, and FREE Zoom events in November:
Thursday, November 4 at 10 am
Spotlight on Redistricting
This Zoom event will offer an update on the current redistricting process in both Palm Beach County and the State of Florida.
Guest Speakers:
+ Ellen Freidin is CEO and General Counsel of Fair Districts Now, Inc. She has been the leader of the FairDistricts movement since 2006 and led Fair Districts Florida in its successful 2010 citizens’ initiative to outlaw gerrymandering. The Florida Constitution now prohibits drawing districts with intent to favor a political party or incumbent and requires that districts be compact, contiguous, equal in population, and follow existing boundaries while expressly protecting the rights of minority voters.
+ Patrick Rutter is an Assistant County Administrator and has been appointed head of the redistricting effort for Palm Beach County. He joined the county in 2003 and was appointed to his current position in 2018. He oversees Planning, Zoning and Building; Engineering and Public Works; Environmental Resource Management; Water Resources; and Resilience and Community Revitalization.
Moderator:
Tony Doris is Editorial Page Editor of The Palm Beach Post. He started at the daily newspaper in 2004 and has worked as a reporter covering West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens, government editor, and as a member of the Post’s Investigative Team.
Link to Connect:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cmYsVd85TByKGgddqrZ62w
Wednesday, November 17 at Noon
Hot Topic Discussion:
THE DISABILITY POVERTY TRAP
People with disabilities rely on durable medical equipment and Home and Community Based Supports (HCBS), services that may not be covered by employer-sponsored or private insurance pans, in order to live independently, work, and participate in their communities. Access to services through Medicaid waiver programs is subject to strict income and asset limits causing recipients to lose access to the vital serviced that enabled them to enter the workforce in the first place. Reforms are necessary so that people with disabilities can be productive members of their communities without losing the vital services they need.
Guest Speaker:
Olivia Babis was born with a physical disability and has worked toward building a more equitable society for most of her life. Currently the Senior Public Policy Analyst at Disability Rights Florida, she was previously the Peer Mentor at the Suncoast Center for Independent Living where she assisted others with disabilities achieve independence. Babis also was a Community Organizer for the Florida Consumer Action Network, a multi-issue advocacy non-profit, where she worked on a multitude of issues including disability rights, healthcare expansion, wage issues, and transit. A veteran of numerous political campaigns, Babis was a candidate for the Florida Senate in 2018.
Topic:
How to Connect:
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TOLdxY7PSD2J-Hrdau8Ttg
About the League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County:
The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County is a nonpartisan political organization of women and men of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging informed and active participation in government through education and advocacy. The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that voting is a fundamental citizen right that must be guaranteed. For more information, please visit www.lwvpbc.org or