Chapter Activities over FY 2011

[Scott on the Spot]

Activities of chapter this past year (from official Chapter Activities
report submitted to CGUSA prior to June 1, 2011)

Chapter Activities over FY 2011

Summary:
Membership - increased from 7 members to 19. Attendance grew on
average from 5-10 to 15-30

Political Outreach – Presentation to trilevel jobs task force October,
2010 (Scott/Rita); Met with staff of state Assemblymembers: Jonathan
Bing, Linda Rosenthal (twice), Liz Krueger – followed up by phone/
email; letter-writing campaigns to Linda Rosenthal, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
(prop tax cap) (Scott/Rita/Polly Cleveland/Bill Batt/Toby Lenihan)

Public Outreach – Designed Tax & the City comic book (Scott/Eric
Johnson); Edited and compiled “Walking the Common Ground of New York
City” starring Lindy Davies and Mike Curtis (Scott/Will, Toby, Rachel
Lenihan/David Rowan); 5 full CGNYC meetings, open to the public;
Presented “A Common Ground Project” at HGS & CCCUN (Alana Hartzog) (by
Scott/Rita); Created T-shirts & sold to HGS students, donated to
teachers (Ralph/Scott/Halina/Dorothy); Produced 500 CGNYC business
cards for members; ~dozen Economic Reform E-Newsletters (Scott); 7
articles for GroundSwell/Huffington Post/Op Ed News (Scott (6), Scott/
Lindy/Yannis (1)); Interviewed Dr. PK Mohanty (Georgist India Deputy
Housing Minister) for GroundSwell etc.; formed Outreach subcommittee
(Ron Rubin/Allen Smith/Scott/Rita/Carol Woodward/Simon Whalen);
produced video of December CGNYC meeting (7 minutes with V/O – Scott/
Will Lenihan); Showed “What’s the Economy For, Anyway” & discussed
CGNYC in Pathways to Progress class at HGS; introduced HGS students to
CG participants in Albany; handed out Fliers announcing meetings &
summary of CG to HGS students, Libraries, Bike riders (ECGA bike ride-
see below).

Letter-writing campaigns - Supported U.S. Senate C.L.E.A.R. Act to cap
Greenhouse gases & tax them; letter to Andrew Cuomo, Letter to Linda
Rosenthal (2 dozen signatures each); online petitions (ongoing):
i. http://www.change.org/petitions/view/a_new_form_of_capitalism_geonomics
(277 signatures)
ii. http://www.change.org/petitions/replace-property-tax-with-ground-rent
(154 signatures)
iii. http://www.change.org/petitions/view/support_reform_that_will_revitalize_californias_economy_and_end_the_public_finance_crisis
(84 signatures)
~Hundred emails/letter/comments supporting LVT to newspapers/magazine/
blogs etc.

Activist Group Outreach – Co-presented “Split Estate” with United For
Action; Co-signed letter to “Close the (Greenway) Gap” with
Transportation Alternatives; Co-led bike ride around Greenway for 40
people with East Coast Greenway Alliance; Showed “A Snowmobile for
George” with Guest speaker Joel Kupferman; met with Georgist student
activist Teckla Negga Malchoir to explore LV research opportunity for
CGNYC members or participants;

Internal Operations in support of CG - Held elections & 5 ballot
initiatives for CGNYC (Scott/Rita/Pat Aller); Managed budget &
fundraising (Scott/Rita); CGUSA conference calls for strategic
planning 4/19, 5/10, 5/31; formed Website subcommittee (Allen/Scott/
Ron/Simon Whalen) to work on CGNYC & CGUSA sites; Installed Lindy
Davies database of Real Estate values in NYC in the HGS; Attended &
voted in annual CGUSA meeting, Albany (July, 2010) (Scott).

Support for Georgists/Georgist causes - Guest presenters: Lindy, Andy
Mazzone, Richard Biddle; sought advice from Lindy, Cay Hehner, Steven
Cord, Polly Cleveland, Mason Gaffney, Michael Hudson, etc.; Suggested
compilation video of Fred Harrison Youtube videos to Mark Sullivan.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Detailed Breakdown
1. Membership increased from 7 members to 19. Attendance grew on
average from 5-10 to 15-30.
2. Members Scott/Eric Johnson/Mark Sullivan – Designed, Created,
printed & Sold apx. 50 “Tax and the City” LVT comic books
3. Members Scott/Rita/Ralph & other non-members attended Council of
Georgist Organizations meeting in July in Albany.
4. Scott represented the chapter as president in the annual CG meeting
– in Albany.
5. Scott/Rita – Presented LVT to the Trilevel Jobs Task Force (federal/
State/City) – October 8, 2010:
http://www.nysenate.gov/event/2010/apr/23/new-york-state-tri-level-joint-legislative-task-force-hearing-jobs-21st-century.
Testimony published in Nov-Dec GroundSwell & Op Ed News:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/My-Presentation-to-the-New-by-Scott-Baker-101013-263.html
6. Scott/Bill Batt/Lindy - Published well over a dozen articles &
letters in Groundswell
7. Scott/Rachel, Will, & Toby Lenihan - Edited, compiled and produced
22-minute: “Walking the Common Ground of New York City” based on Lindy
Davies and Mike Curtis’ footage.
8. Scott installed Lindy Davies’ Real Estate Database of ALL NYC
properties on the Henry George School Library computer, demoed on
2/18/11.
9. Scott/Rita - Presented “The Common Ground Project” at the HG School
Friday Forum 2/18/11 & CCCUN symposium 2/24/11.
10. Held 5 full CGNYC meetings. Co-presented “Split Estate” with anti-
fracking group United For Action. Showed “Snowmobile for George” with
special guest speakers for December (UFA), January (Joel Kupferman,
Esq.); March meeting (Richard Biddle & Andrew Mazonne).
11. Preparations underway for June 11, 2011 meeting
12. Formed Outreach committee with member Ron Rubin, Website committee
with member Allen Smith, Nuclear Referendum committee with member Toby
Lenihan, T-Shirt committee with member Ralph Rivera
a. Held over a dozen subcommittee meetings
13. Scott/Rita - Met with Chief of Staff Jake Dilemani of
Assemblymember Jonathan Bing’s office (3/2/11) & Legislative Director
of Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal’s office (3/7/11) over LVT and
property tax measures.
a. 2 dozen Letters to Linda Rosenthal on LVT bill for vacant land hand-
delivered to Legislative Aide Jonathan Davis, Steven Cord’s 238
studies-abstracts, Mason Gaffney’s book: After the Crash. Similar
delivery to Bing’s office
b. Followed up with new Chief of Staff: Lauren Schuster (who replaced
Jonathan Davis) on vacant land bill. We need a new bill.
14. 2 dozen hand-signed Letters to Gov. Andrew Cuomo on property Tax
cap mailed out
15. Asked for support of: Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Senator
Susan Collins (R-ME) C.L.E.A.R. Act, which will cap carbon from fossil
fuels that can be emitted to the atmosphere without disrupting the
economy, using a gradually declining “cap.” The concept is to
gradually accelerate emission reductions
16. Ralph/Dorothy/Halina/Scott & others completed initial run of Henry
George/Common Ground T-Shirts
17. Scott - Suggested to Mark Sullivan a CD or movie of Fred
Harrison’s Youtube videos. Received this reply:
HI Scott,
RSF has been in discussion with Fred regarding his movies (including
future possibilities). We expect to be putting some of them on line.
I will pass your email on to Ed Dodson, who is our Program Committee
Chair this fiscal year, and a big fan of Fred's work.
Best wishes, Mark
18. Scott - Ran off two batches (250, 500) of CGNYC business cards for
new members and outreach.
19. Scott/Rita - Met with Brad Usher (Chief of Staff, State Senator
Liz Krueger’s office) & Alice Fisher re: LVT in NYC & Property tax
caps, general legislative goals etc. 5/17/11
20. Scott - Updated Steven Cord, Lindy Davies, Josh Vincent, Bill Batt
re: meeting
21. Scott/Rita - Met with Assembly member Linda Rosenthal (D-AD67) &
Lauren Schuster 5/19/11 re: vacancy land bill status & Property tax
caps, general legislative goals etc.
22. Scott - Followup to meetings with Rosenthal & Schuster via email
5/20/11
23. Scott - Several Economic Reform Newsletters: including CGNYC
meeting announcements & preliminary agendas (most recent stored as
diaries on Op Ed News & viewed by 100s of readers)
Economic Reform Update: May 2011 (166 views) Next meeting time of
Common Ground-NYC Banking, Economic, Economic Crisis, Economic Human
Rights, Economic Justice, Economic Systems, Economics, Oil, Reform
Economic Reform Group: April Update (262 views) This update was
sent to the 150+ recipients, Economic Collapse, Economic Crisis,
Economic Human Rights, Economic Justice, Economic Models, Economic
Systems, Economics
March 2011 Meeting announcement about Economic Reform by Common
Ground-NYC (167 views) Latest posting to the Geoist/Georgist
community, Commons, The Public, Economic, Economic Crisis, Economic
Human Rights, Economic Justice, Economic Models, Economic Recovery
Policy, Economic Systems, Economics, Reform
24. Scott – wrote 7 articles or public notices for GroundSwell (some X-
posted in Huffington Post & Op Ed News)
25. Held elections for officers: Scott & Rita re-elected as of May 15,
2011. 5 Ballot initiatives passed (pending official tally).
26. Scott - Met with former HGS teacher/student Tackla Neega Malchoir
5/25/11 @ HGS re: research project into airwave rights historically
and currently for the purpose of reform. Will present to members at
June 11 meeting.
27. Scott - Ordered 2nd round of 14 CGNYC/Henry George t-Shirts for
outreach & fundraising
28. Scott - CGUSA conference calls for strategic planning 4/19, 5/10,
5/31

Activities chapter proposes to undertake in coming year

1. Meet apx. every other month, with more subcommittee meetings in
between
2. Create CGNYC Statement of purpose consistent with CGUSA SofP and
incorporating essence of recently passed resolutions
3. Continue meeting with politicians to pass LVT legislation
4. Continue support for passage of anti-warehousing and property tax
reform bills (1 out of 4 already passed). Emphasis on online
petition:
b. http://www.change.org/petitions/view/tax_vacant_unused_land_to_return_its_value_to_the_community
(163 signatures)
c. Drive to gather signatures for 3 other Georgist/Geonomic petitions:
i. http://www.change.org/petitions/view/a_new_form_of_capitalism_geonomics
(277 signatures)
ii. http://www.change.org/petitions/replace-property-tax-with-ground-rent
(154 signatures)
iii. http://www.change.org/petitions/view/support_reform_that_will_revitalize_californias_economy_and_end_the_public_finance_crisis
(84 signatures)
5. Begin production of a video explaining LV & Natural Resources
taxing intended for YouTube – something like Free Range Studio’s “The
Story of Stuff,” only on Land. (Dependent on member interest)
6. Continue recruiting efforts with goal of increasing membership 10%
or more, preferably from outside the HGS. Co-sponsor activities with
like-minded groups etc.
7. More articles for GroundSwell, Op Ed News and other sites/
publications if possible extolling Georgist virtues.
8. Film Series (continue? Y/N?) – show at School, other venues?
9. Find new venue for less money.
10. Update Lindy Davies’ RE database at the HGS (Fall)
11. Virtually attend CG meeting in Minnesota via Skype or similar
interface (dependent on CGUSA approval)
12. CG/HG T-Shirt sales
13. Create new CGNYC Website with blogging, event notification, links,
films etc. while linking to old Lindy CG site, and from new CGUSA
site.
14. Increase outreach with tabling events, symposiums, etc.
15. Increase size and scope of Political Action Committee (Scott,
Rita, ???)



Any additional comments
This has been a tumultuous year, with lots of challenges, good and
bad. I hope the now-larger chapter (from 7 to 19 in the past year)
can focus more on our goals in the year ahead. We have some good
people join, and access to the larger Georgist community for support.

[Scott on the Spot]

Please read before today's meeting.