St. Paul, MN – In a packed hearing room, more than a dozen legislators heard testimony March 14 on proposed legislation to put a moratorium on home foreclosures and the eviction of tenants from foreclosed properties. Representative Karen Clark and Senator Scott Dibble, authors of the ‘Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization & Tenant Protection Bill’ (SF1521 and HF1886) chaired the hearing. The moratorium bill is an initiative of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout (MCPBO).

Those testifying at the hearing included Cherrene Horazuk, Chief Steward of AFSCME Local 3800, Peter Brown of the Minnesota Tenants Union, Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee, Anthony Newby of Occupy Homes, Mel Reeves of Occupy the Hood and homeowners who have or are currently facing foreclosure, including Rosemary Williams, Bobby Hull, Ruby Brown, Peter Eisert and John Vinge.

Deb Konechne, a spokesperson for the MCPBO, testified, “This bill, which has been introduced in the House and the Senate, would place a 2-year moratorium on home foreclosures and a 2-year moratorium on the foreclosure related eviction of renters from foreclosed property.”

She added, “This bill is a plan to keep Minnesotans in our homes. It also protects renters who too many times end up paying rent and a damage deposit without knowing the property is in foreclosure, only to be evicted through no fault of their own, only a few months later.”

Rosemary Williams recounted her dramatic fight to keep her home. She said that when sheriffs evicted her and her family from her home in 2009, the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout helped move her back in. William’s called for politicians to pass the moratorium law.

To date, Republican committee chairs have refused to hear the Moratorium Bill. “Today’s people’s hearing served notice on them. We will carry forward the fight for a moratorium on foreclosures. We will continue to challenge politicians that serve the banks and big business,” stated Mick Kelly of the MCPBO.

Stacey Kemp, a Minneapolis homeowner gave her take on the hearing, stating “Stopping foreclosures means keeping our neighborhoods healthy and strong. The unemployment and underemployment rate has been bordering on 20% for a very long time. Working families that have been the core of our neighborhoods and communities are losing their homes because of an economic crisis caused by the 1%. I support this public hearing to demand that the legislators protect our interests – not those of the privileged few.”

Video from the press conference preceding the people's hearing on the foreclosure & eviction moratoriumDeb KonechneRosemary Williams

#SaintPaulMN #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #DebKonechne #Foreclosure #Eviction #Moratorium #KarenClark #ScottDibble

St Paul, MN – It was a big day for Vikings owner and New Jersey real estate developer Zygi Wilf at the State Capitol, Jan. 12, when plans were submitted by the City of Minneapolis, Ramsey County and others for a new Vikings football stadium. Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton set Jan. 12 as a deadline for Vikings stadium plans to be considered at the upcoming legislative session. Wilf insists that the public pick up most of the tab for a new stadium

Linden Gawboy, of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People Bailout, blasted the plans for a publicly financed stadium, saying, “If the rich want stadiums they should pay for them. There is no good reason why poor and working people should pay Wilf’s bill.”

She also urged people to attend a Jan. 24 rally at the State Capitol that coincides with the opening of the legislative session. The noon protest will demand more taxes on the rich, a moratorium on home foreclosures and no cuts to programs that serve working and low-income Minnesotans.

#SaintPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Stadium #Vikings #ZygiWilf #subsidies

St. Paul, MN – “There should be no public funds used, from any source, to pay for a rich man’s stadium,” said the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout’s Linden Gawboy, testifying at a Dec. 6 state Senate committee hearing. The off-session hearing looked at financial options for building a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings football team.

The funding options up for discussion that day included taxing revenues from proposed expansions of gambling, raiding the Legacy Fund (money from a statewide sales tax that is supposed to go to arts, the environment and hunting habitat) and diverting current taxes paid by the Vikings franchise – from the state general fund to a stadium fund.

“We are here to talk about an option that we don’t see on this list. The private funding option,” Gawboy testified. She emphasized how the team owner, Zygi Wilf, is a wealthy New Jersey real-estate developer who has plenty of experience arranging private financing deals for his various projects. “The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout came together in 2008 under the slogan, ‘Bail out poor and working people, not banks and billionaires.’”

There were many groups and individuals at the five and half hour hearing. Testifiers included people against public financing and against using the legacy money for a stadium, fans who wanted a stadium, those who wanted an expansion of gambling and saw the stadium as an opportunity to push their plans, gambling opponents, building trades people and elected officials who advocated public financing. Spokespeople from Minnesota Native American tribes and bands pointed out that the current casinos were a critical component of the economy for their nations and the communities surrounding them, and that expanded gambling would hurt these rural economies.

The Welfare Rights Committee’s testimony read like a resolution: “With the rate of poverty rates going up in Minnesota because of the economic crisis... With many people and families being thrown out of their apartments because of the landlords’ foreclosures...With many people and families in need of shelter, the homeless shelters are at capacity...With many poor families of Minnesota who can’t share the pain anymore because of continuous unemployment and cuts in social programs...This is no time to use any public money, creating new taxing, adding onto existing taxes to build a new stadium.”

It was pointed out that the Vikings management wants hundreds of millions of dollars in public funding for their stadium but refuse to open their financial records for public inspection. Another issue is the refusal to allow the people in Ramsey County to have a chance to vote on a Ramsey County sales tax for one of the stadium proposals.

Mehmet Berker testified as an individual, “For 30-odd years a new norm has developed in this country, where sports teams have discovered that they can get the public to pay for investments that they, the owners, will benefit from.”

Tom D. Goldstein, a community activist, lawyer and former school board member from Saint Paul, states, “The Vikings could have built a private partnership with local corporations during the last decade to solve their stadium woes, but instead did little other than wait for the legislature to create a solution for them.”

“To tax people struggling just to keep a roof over their head is immoral,” said Janet Nye, of Minneapolis, who wore an OccupyMN patch reading “People before profits.” She noted that prior to the two hearings, all discussions were behind closed doors. “I just point out that those who are occupying in every state in the nation, even in other countries; we are very tired of a sham democracy.”

#SaintPaulMN #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Stadium #Vikings

Minneapolis, MN – Around two hundred people marched from the OccupyMN People’s Plaza to nearby TCF Bank Tower, Oct. 11. Marchers chanted “The banks got bailed out, people got sold out!” and “ho ho hey hey, make the rich pay!” The march targeted TCF Bank because the locally-based bank tries to dominate Minnesota’s economy and politics with extreme pro-corporate policies.

As the protesters marched through downtown at rush hour, many passers-by honked and waved in support of the protest. When they arrived at TCF Tower, the protesters found the doors locked with security guards standing just inside even though the bank was supposed to still be open. After chanting loudly outside the locked doors, several speakers expressed outrage at TCF Bank’s ultra-conservative political agenda they try to impose on Minnesota.

Mick Kelly of the MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout said to the crowd, “TCF Bank is a Tea Party bank. That’s the truth.” He detailed some of TCF Bank CEO William Cooper’s history of anti-people and extreme pro-corporate actions, as well as other prominent people associated with TCF, such as former TCF executive vice president Peter Bell, who went on to head the Met Council and the U of M Board of Regents. At both of those institutions, Bell’s budget cutting and union-busting attempts provoked workers to go on strike.

Tood Dahlstrom of SEIU Local 26 spoke about the protest that Minnesotans for a Fair Economy led earlier in the day against Wells Fargo and US Bank, saying that TCF might have thought they’d gotten off the hook since they weren’t targeted earlier in the day, but this protest was bringing the anger to their doorstep too. Giving an example of TCF’s ultra-conservative politics, Sarah Martin of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression spoke about how TCF Bank froze the accounts of Chicago Palestinian activist Hatem Abudayyeh, even though he hasn’t been charged with any crime. Only after national public pressure did TCF give Abudayyeh his money back. Other speakers talked about how the banks are making record profits while most people are falling further and further behind in debt.

TCF Bank is a huge contributor to pro-corporate politicians and causes in Minnesota. In the 2010 elections, TCF Bank gave $250,000 to the State Fund for Economic Growth, LLC, which in turn gave the money to MN Forward to support far right wing pro-corporate politicians, and the Taxpayer’s League of Minnesota, which is dedicated to destroying any government program that benefits poor or working people.

The OccupyMN occupation has been going on since October 7 in the plaza in front of the Hennepin County Government Center, which the occupiers have renamed “People’s Plaza”. The occupation is part of a national movement of occupations inspired by Occupy Wall Street with a message of “people over profits.” The round-the-clock occupation is ongoing. Organizers are encouraging people to come out to People’s Plaza anytime, and there are rallies daily at 5:00 p.m.

#MinneapolisMN #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HatemAbudayyeh #TeaParty #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMN #TCFBank

St Paul, MN – Protesters gathered on the front steps of the Minnesota State Capitol, April 15 with a message for state legislators and Governor Dayton: “Tax the rich. No more attacks on poor and working people.” High winds whipped a giant banner spread out across the capitol steps.

Since the legislative session began, Republicans have launched cuts and attacks too numerous to list in full. These include drastic cuts to people in poverty and struggling with disabilities. They slash away at state workers, child protective services, local cities and towns, education and union rights.

According to Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, one of the protest orgainzers, “The Republicans in our state are taking their message of hate and loathing of working and poor people to new lows. They are trying to gut the last few benefits that exist for those of us who do not belong to the wealthy class. They are forcing poor people, workers, elders, and people with illness or disability to pay for the entire deficit.”

The Republican budget proposals are unjust. As for tax fairness, according to the tax incidence study from the state Department of Revenue, those making less than $11,201 per year pay 22.1% of their income in taxes, while the top earners in pay an effective tax rate of just 8.8%. Corporations have been scamming Minnesota for years with their loopholes and exemptions.

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800, representing the clerical workers at the University of Minnesota, told the crowd, “Public sector workers are under attack. We’ve been told our salaries are too high, our contributions to our health insurance are too low and that our pensions are bankrupting state government. We’ve been told that unions are the problem and that greedy public workers are sucking up resources and causing huge financial problems. We even been told we should relinquish our right to collective bargaining.”

Walker continued, “But workers across the country are not buying it. And in Madison, Wisconsin workers have taken to the streets and they have shown us that fighting back can and will transform the terms of the debate.”

The Welfare Rights Committee and the MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout are urging support for a call-in campaign to Governor Dayton, demanding that he veto the attack-bills that are about to cross his desk. “It is essential that our Governor keep to his promises. In this time of economic crisis, it is ludicrous to go along with these cuts and attacks. We want to make sure Dayton doesn’t forget about the people behind the budget numbers,” said Kim DeFranco, of the Welfare Rights Committee.

#StPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout

St Paul, MN – Protesters will assemble at the Minnesota State Capitol Building, at 12 noon, Jan. 4 to say no to attacks on programs that serve poor and working people. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, the action will coincide with the opening of the Minnesota State legislature.

Linden Gawboy, of the Twin Cites-based Welfare Rights Committee states, “Because of the recent election, right-wing Republicans have control of the Minnesota State House and Minnesota State Senate. In the past several years, we have seen them come up with crazy ideas – based on poor-bashing, racism and greed. They have tried to take away the programs and services that we need to survive, especially now, in these times.”

The state of Minnesota is facing a $6 billion-plus budget crisis. In previous years, reactionary politicians have attempted to address budget shortfalls by pushing the burden of the crisis on to the backs of poor and working people.

Mick Kelly, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout states, “At the end of the day, there is only one fair way to balance the budget. Minnesota politicians need to tax the rich.”

According to Kelly, “Some right-wing politicians say that making the rich pay will stop jobs from being created. At best this is a cynical lie, and at worst it is a sign that some very foolish people will be making laws for Minnesotans. The reality is that the rich are sitting on their money and living the good life. We need to tax the hell out of the wealthy and use that money for real job creation and programs that will serve poor and working people during the economic crisis.”

In addition to resisting cuts to programs that serve the people, the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout will continue its fight for jobs or income now, treating housing, healthcare and education as human rights and for a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions from foreclosed properties.

#StPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout

Minneapolis, MN – As the candidates for governor were preparing to debate inside the Pantages Theater here Sept. 15, about 30 members of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, including folks from the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and the Welfare Rights Committee were on the street out front.

Inside the debate, Rosemary Williams, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, rose from the floor and challenged the candidates on the issue of education, specifically the closure of the only public high school in North Minneapolis, a predominantly Black part of the city, and the less than equal education opportunities for African American students.

Coalition groups have actively followed the candidates on the campaign trail to promote a people’s agenda.

Linden Gawboy of the Welfare Rights Committee stated, “We were there to send a message to the politicians and the audience members. We want jobs or income now. Stop foreclosures and evictions. Stop attacks on immigrants.”

#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #MIRAc #TomEmmer #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCommittee

St. Paul, MN – “You need a permit to do that,” the cops told the group of women writing last-minute posters outside Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office, May 17. The posters were in preparation for the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout event on the last day of the Minnesota legislative session.

A few hours earlier, the state government passed a budget that stole billions of dollars from programs for the poor, working people and disabled children, including massive amounts from education, TANF and health care. The Coalition members had little patience for the governor’s cops telling them what to do. After some words were exchanged, the cops were ignored and the women continued with the signs. One read, “Pawlenty = Criminal.”

May 17 marked Pawlenty’s last day as governor during a legislative session. This is Pawlenty’s last term, as he is running for U.S. President. The Coalition’s call for the event noted, “Since 2003, Governor Pawlenty has been systematically, irresponsibly and selfishly destroying Minnesota. On the last day of the 2010 legislative session, we know that we will be again staring into the face of another disaster, created by the governor. We won’t let him slink away from this session in silence.”

Accordingly, every time the doors to the Governor’s reception room opened, the group chanted, “Hey Pawlenty! Here’s the fix: Undo your cuts. Tax the rich!” The cops didn’t like that either, since their boss was inside the gilded reception room, giving his final end-of-session press conference.

The statement noted, “The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout formed on Oct. 29, 2008 and has called for the state of to work on the real problems that face poor and working people during this time of economic crisis: put a moratorium on foreclosures, no cuts to programs that help people during hard times, no layoffs, and ‘jobs or income now.’ While some legislators have supported those demands, most then said that their hands were tied because of the Governor. Whether that is true or not, it is clear that Pawlenty has imposed a reign of terror at the capitol since he took office.”

Cherrene Horazuk, member of AFSCME Local 3800, a Coalition member group, stated: “Every year Pawlenty has dug the hole deeper, expecting the people to bail him out.”

Deb Konechne said, “During all these years, the rich have not paid one dime to solve the state budget deficits. In the big picture, they got richer by making us poorer – by stealing our homes, laying us off, shredding the safety net and by amassing wealth through their fat-cat tax breaks. It is long past time for them to pay.” Konechne is a member of the Welfare Rights Committee, another member group of the Coalition.

After the governor’s press conference was over and as the media was streaming out, Bailout members kept the chant going steadily.

As the Coalition members were packing to leave, some haggled with the cops again, in an attempt to officially deliver some of the protest signs to the Governor Pawlenty, including one that read, “Pawlenty jumps ship from a drowning Minnesota.”

A couple of protesters got lucky. As they were exiting the capitol, they looked down from the top of the steps. There was the Governor and his henchmen on their way to a waiting SUV in the back parking lot. The chanting began again, “Hey Pawlenty! Here’s the fix: Undo your cuts. Tax the rich!” The SUV took off to the taunts of “Criminal!” The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout is satisfied that Governor Pawlenty did not “slink away from this session in silence.”

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #AFSCME3800

Fight Back! interviewed Linden Gawboy, a leader of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout on the implications of the May 5 Minnesota Supreme Court decision limiting Governor Pawlenty’s power of unallotment. Gawboy has been involved with fighting for low-income people at the Minnesota state legislature for over 15 years.

Fight Back!: Could you give us some background on the Supreme Court ruling on Pawlenty’s allotments?

Linden Gawboy: In the spring of 2009, the legislature sent Governor Pawlenty spending bills, as usual. Then they sent him a tax bill to pay for the spending. Pawlenty vetoed the tax bill.

Since that left the state without enough money, Pawlenty just randomly romped through the entire state budget, picking programs to eliminate so the budget would be in balance, taxing and spending-wise.

No governor had done that before. Pawlenty said he was using ‘unallotment,’ a power that the governor does have in certain situations, but it has never been used like this.

Fortunately, Legal Aid filed a lawsuit against the crazy actions of the governor. The lawsuit basically said that the governor acted illegally in his unallotments. Today, the state Supreme Court agreed.

On a side note, the Welfare Rights Committee waited for weeks while all the big-money forces who lost big bucks, like the hospitals, did nothing – they didn’t have the courage to file a lawsuit against the governor. It took lawyers advocating for the poor to defend a small nutrition program for the poor to do the deed.

Fight Back!: How does the ruling change the political situation at the legislature?

Gawboy: It puts the Democrats (DFL) in a complicated position. They have been pussy-footing around the fact that the state will always be in a mess until there is there is tax system that makes the rich pay more. As we tried to pass our foreclosure moratorium it became clearer to everyone that a lot DFL senators and representatives represent the banks and big corporations.

With the power of unallotment limited or gone, the Republicans have lost the power to dictate the state budget. So their overall position is much weaker. With the power of unallotment, Pawlenty thought he was a king. Now he is just pathetic.

Today’s decision changes all the budget numbers, adding $2.7 billion to the state deficit. Already, the budget proposals out there balance the state budget on the backs of poor and working people. Leaving the governor’s and the Republicans’ whacked-out proposals aside, the Democrats have already proposed terrible cuts. They are stealing nearly $30 million from welfare funds, slashing programs for the mentally ill and turning nursing homes into death camps.

Fight Back!: What do you think could happen in the months ahead?

Gawboy: The legislative session ends May 17. Governor Pawlenty will be presented with spending bills and a tax bill. Ideally, the Democrats will seize this opportunity to solve the budget without the cuts and by taxing the rich – that’s unlikely. Most likely, the governor will veto the bills. If the legislature doesn’t choose to override the vetoes, then the state will head into a ‘government shutdown’ on July 1. But, after May 17, the governor – and only the governor – could call the legislature back into a so-called special session.

But, in any case, the main thing is, everything from our past experience shows that poor and working people will be sold out. We have to fight back. The Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout will be planning actions. We know that Governor Pawlenty got his wings clipped. We know that many of the dems ‘say’ they are on our side. It’s time to fight. At this point, we have nothing to lose.

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #GovernorPawlenty #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout

St. Paul, MN – Protesters assembled in the rotunda of the Minnesota state capitol here on April 15 for a rally to demand that the state government not “balance the state budget on the backs of working and low-income people.” The rally called on politicians to instead, “tax the rich.”

“In the midst of the greatest economic crisis in generations, the governor and legislature are preparing a budget that will put the worst effects of the economic crisis on the backs of low-income and working people. Cuts are being proposed that will have a huge impact on working people and low-income families and individuals. The rich created this economic crisis. Let them pay for it!” said Deb Konechne, of the Welfare Rights Committee, a member group of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, which organized the event.

The governor and state legislature are preparing a budget that will result in massive cuts to programs that provide needed services and jobs for many low income, disabled and working people across the state.

Jennie Eisert, a member of Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, said, “The wealthy have enjoyed years of state and federal tax breaks, which has led to an enormous concentration of wealth in this country. But what have the wealthy done with this bonus? They ran the economy into the ground. Now state and federal government are preparing huge budget cuts.”

“People are losing their jobs and homes. It is time the rich make up the difference and pay higher taxes so low income and working people get a break,” Eisert continued.

The MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout has been working for state legislation that would provide some basic protections for working and low-income people during the current economic crisis. Among the steps the coalition wants to see enacted are a moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions, an extension of the five-year limit for families receiving public assistance and an end to layoffs of public or University of Minnesota employees.

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout

Minneapolis, MN – Friends, neighbors and other supporters joined the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout at the home of Michel Kidd, April 9. Kidd has been fighting to keep his home for over a year. He has had enough of the mortgage servicer, Aurora Loan Services, stalling, changing terms, ‘forgetting’ about past agreements and items faxed and mailed several times and apparently refusing to negotiate in good faith.

Michael Kidd is an independent trucker. In 2004 he put down $45,000 cash and got a regular, fixed-rate mortgage. Because of the recession, his trucking business slowed. Last year, he tried to renegotiate the terms of his mortgage so his payments would be more affordable – with the expectation, based on the terms of the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), that the home’s current value to be taken into account.

In 2004, when Kidd bought the house, it was valued at $190,000. Now it is valued between $65,000 and $90,000. Aurora, in direct contradiction the federal HAMP program, is not offering to refinance the home at its ‘net present value.’

Mick Kelly, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, puts it bluntly: “Michael Kidd is being robbed. Aurora is pressuring him into taking a bogus deal that only makes Aurora richer. They are basically turning his house into an ATM for the banks.”

Michael Kidd and many others who have lost homes on the north and south sides of Minneapolis are examples of the racial disparities in home foreclosures and remodifications. As an African American born and raised in North Minneapolis, Kidd says he could have moved away, but chose to stay and build his community. “I am not just speaking for me, but for thousands in my situation,” said Mr. Kidd. “There are empty homes all around this neighborhood. We don’t need any more.”

The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout joins Michael Kidd in demanding that Aurora come to the table, follow the rules of the HAMP program and renegotiate the mortgage at the home’s current value.

“Give Mr. Kidd a deal he can afford,” says Linden Gawboy, of the Minnesota Coalition for a Peoples Bailout.

#MinneapolisMN #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #Foreclosure #Eviction #MichaelKidd

St. Paul, MN – A bill that places a moratorium on home foreclosures and brings a halt to the eviction of tenants from foreclosed buildings got through the Minnesota State House of Representatives Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division, Feb. 9. The moratorium bill will now proceed to the House Commerce Committee. It is expected that Senate hearings on the bill will be announced in coming days.

Republicans pulled a parliamentary move, right before the vote, to have the bill forwarded to the Commerce Committee “without recommendation.” The main excuse offered was that some members missed the Jan. 28 two-hour pre-session hearing that was devoted solely to the bill.

“This is a real victory,” stated Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, the group brought the bill to legislators. “This is the start of a serious debate on the foreclosure crisis in Minnesota. Lobbyists for the bankers are running around the capitol to oppose us. We will not rest until there is a moratorium in place.”

#StPaulMN #StPaul #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles

St. Paul, MN – About 100 people gathered here Feb. 4 on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol for a protest that coincided with the opening of the Minnesota State Legislature. The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout organized the protest. Standing at the top of a giant banner reading, “Tax the rich, no cuts to poor and working people,” Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee led the chant, “Hey politicians, here’s the fix – tax the rich! Tax the rich!”

Linden Gawboy, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, gave the first speech, stating, “The MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout has legislation for a People’s Agenda. We demand jobs or income now. If this state does not do the right thing and give us jobs – we need income. We want unemployment benefits extended. We want a moratorium on the five-year limit on welfare. We want the creation of a public works program to put people to work now. We call for no layoffs, no furloughs and no attacks on wages, for state and University of Minnesota workers and for all workers. Now is the time to be protecting jobs, instead of putting more people in the unemployment lines.”

Gawboy continued, “We are sick of seeing destruction that foreclosures and evictions cause in our communities. We call for a moratorium on home foreclosures and on evictions from foreclosed properties.” Many participants at the rally held signs calling for a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.

Mick Kelly, of the Minnesota Coalition for a Peoples Bailout said, “The economic crisis continues to hit poor and working people hard. Every month more jobs are lost and more homes hover on the brink of foreclosure. We are bringing the message to the politicians at the capitol that this is an emergency and something has to be done.”

He continued, “The rally is in support of House File 2604, which will place a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions of renters from foreclosed properties while the economic crisis is still hitting so many families.” Both HF2604 and its senate companion, SF2242 were introduced Feb. 4.

Charlene Wilford of the Welfare Rights Committee told the crowd, “To those politicians who just don’t get it, we say, ‘Get out here.’ Talk to the moms who have been surviving on $437.00 per month. Talk the homeowners who have given their blood, sweat and tears over the years, only to find themselves facing foreclosures by greedy banks. Talk to families whose unemployment insurance and welfare have hit their time limits.” The Welfare Rights Committee and the Coalition are promoting legislation that will place a moratorium on the five-year time limit on public assistance.

Trade unionists played a big role in the rally. Phyllis Walker, the president of AFSCME 3800 said, “We need to extend unemployment insurance in Minnesota. The homes of many of our union members are in jeopardy because their spouse is out of work and they cannot keep up the mortgage without unemployment payments.” Nearby, members of her local held the union’s banner.

Other labor leaders speaking at the rally included Bernie Hess, of the United Food and Commercial Workers and representatives of the SEIU Local 26, whose janitors recently authorized a strike.

Other speakers included representatives from the coalition’s youth, student, tenant, anti-war and immigrant rights member groups.

Deb Konechne of the Minnesota Coalition for a Peoples Bailout says that the coalition will undertake all out mobilizations to fight for justice at the capitol this legislative session.

#SaintPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #Foreclosure #Eviction

St. Paul, MN – The battle is under way to put a moratorium on home forecloses in Minnesota. The first legislative hearing on an bill to put a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions began with a joint hearing by State Senate Economic Development and Housing Budget Division and Health and Housing and Family Security Committee, Jan. 27 at the Minnesota state capitol.

Before the hearing, there was a news conference featuring legislators who are sponsoring the legislation – state Senator Scott Dibble and state Representative Jeff Hayden – along with Deb Konechne of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout and Leslie Parks, a Minneapolis woman who is resisting foreclosure took place before the hearing.

At the press conference, Konechne stated, “The legislation being sponsored by Senator Dibble and Representative Hayden and being heard this week is an initiative to protect working and low-income people from the worst effects of the foreclosure crisis as well as protect tenants in rental properties that go into foreclosure.”

Konechne continued, “Low-income and working people did not create this crisis and we should not be losing our homes due to the economic crisis of the rich and powerful. The federal government is providing hundreds of billions of dollars to banks and corporations. Minnesota must take action.”

The Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, a group of community, labor and other organizations, has been working with a broad range of community organizations to win support for the legislation.

The act would put in place protections for tenants in rental properties that are foreclosed.

“Tenants should not be evicted from their homes just because the landlord loses the property. Because the Legislature prescribes the foreclosure and eviction processes in this state, it can revise those processes to protect tenants in their homes,” said Peter Brown of Minnesota Tenants Union, who testified at the Jan. 27 senate hearing.

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800 at the University of Minnesota, also testified. “When working people are laid off and cannot pay their mortgage, they try to renegotiate their loan. But it doesn't work because banks and lending institutions do not negotiate in good faith. They simply go through the motions and then foreclose on the property. Why is that? Is it because the home owner who has been paying a note every month for the past ten years can’t be trusted to live up to the terms of a new agreement? Is it because the bank or financial institution will take such a huge loss they will have to close their doors. The answer to both is no.”

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, in a January 2009 report, estimated that 1.5 million additional people in the U.S. would become homeless over the next two years. This is over and above the number who would experience homelessness without the effects of the economic crisis.

“With the unemployment rate staying high for some period of time, with the overall effects of the economic crisis, working and low income people and our communities need continued protection from losing our homes and stability,” said the Bailout Coalition's Alan Dale.

The Minnesota Coalition for People's Bailout is planning a demonstration for Feb. 4, the opening day of the legislature. The bill for a moratorium on foreclosures will be formally introduced that day.

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #DebKonechne #Foreclosure #Eviction #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – More than 75 workers, students and community supporters rallied at Morrill Hall, the central administration building here, Jan. 21, to oppose attempts by President Bruininks and senior administrators to balance the budget on the backs of staff and students.

Cherrene Horazuk, chief steward of AFSCME Local 3800, the union that represents clerical workers, told the crowd, “We all know that we are living through the worst economic crisis this country has faced since the Great Depression. But we also all know that we – the working people of this country – did not create this crisis. Yet, when it comes time to discuss state budgets and university budgets, the people in charge want us to bear the burden.”

Horazuk continued, “It has been said and it bears repeating that the layoff of every single public employee in Minnesota would not make up the budget deficit. This problem requires a real solution. Further impoverishing working Minnesotans is not the answer and must be opposed.”

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME 3800, stated before the rally: “One of their plans is furlough days. President Bruininks told senior administrators that he intends to make staff take ten furlough days – unpaid days off – over the next year. This is a pay cut for hourly staff at the university and we can’t afford it. Pay and holidays are negotiated with the unions on campus and cannot be unilaterally dictated.”

Students also joined the noon protest. Grace Kelly of the University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society said, “This administration continues to make education unaffordable. Between 2000 and 2007, undergraduate tuition went up over 68%. The administration wants to pit students against staff by telling us it’s either tuition increases or layoffs. This is a false choice.”

Another speaker at the protest, Kim Defranco of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout said, “As we know, corporations and banks have gotten bailed out but we haven’t. We have to suffer with more cuts and cutbacks. We are sick and tired of being the scapegoats for corporations, institutions and politicians when the economy is in crisis. Now we are all in this together, whether we are workers, staff, students, families, the poor, we need to stand and fight back together. We need to demand enough is enough! Together we are stronger.

AFSCME Local 3800, which is a part of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, is among the organizations that will be participating in rally at the State Capitol Building Feb. 4, the opening of the Minnesota legislative session. That protest will demand an end to layoffs of public employees, the extension of unemployment benefits, a moratorium on home foreclosures and taxes on the rich to balance the state budget.

#MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #Labor #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #AFSCMELocal3800

Minneapolis, MN – Under the call of “Foreclose the war, not people's homes,” more than 100 people joined a protest here to mark the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Demonstrators gathered at the home of Leslie Parks, an African American woman who is fighting back against the attempt to foreclose on her home. Later, participants gathered at Saint Joan of Arc Church. The events were organized by the Iraq Peace Action Coalition and the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout.

Speakers at the events included Mel Reeves, a prominent community activist; Jennie Eisert, a leader of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, Leslie Parks and other activists.

Speaking in front of her home, Leslie Parks stated “This war has been going on for far too long. It's time to bring our troops home to their families. All of the money that has been used on this war could have been used to pay off every home owner's mortgage in America. It is now time to foreclose on the war, not on families homes.”

Jennie Eisert told the crowd assembled at the church, “We are sick and tired of the government helping the banks and Wall Street when they are the reason we got into this mess.” She also spoke about a bill that will be introduced when the state legislature opens to put a two-year moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions from foreclosed prosperities.

A statement by Iraq Peace Action Coalition says in part, “The U.S. government spends billions for the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq, even as working and low income people are facing the worst economic crisis in decades. Millions of people are facing foreclosure, unemployment and budget cuts. On Martin Luther King Jr. weekend we call for and end to the U.S. wars and occupations and for the war budget to instead be used for education, housing, health care and other human needs.”

The Iraq Peace Action Coalition statement also calls on people to join anti-war protests on Saturday, March 20. “March 20 will mark seven years of the U.S. war and occupation in Iraq. On March 20 there will be protests and demonstrations in Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles. In Minneapolis a protest will also be held that day as part of building a movement to end the wars and occupations.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #IraqPeaceActionCoalition #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – Neighbors and supporters rallied at the home of Leslie Parks, Dec. 18, demanding an end to foreclosures and evictions. Parks has made it clear that she will not be foreclosed out of her home. This was the first public action since Dec. 8, when IndyMac/One West Bank temporarily locked Leslie out of her home.

Linden Gawboy, of the MN Coalition for a People's Bailout, spoke to the crowd about the struggle Parks has gone through, and urged support for a bill that will be introduced at the state legislature that puts a two-year moratorium on home foreclosures.

Leslie Parks is one of those at the forefront of the battle against unjust foreclosures and evictions. Ms. Parks has inspired thousands across the country with her fight to keep her home in the family.

Since mid-November, there has been a successful national call-in campaign, spearheaded by the Network to Fight for Economic Justice, to IndyMac/One West bank with callers demanding that the bank come to the table and accept a deal that Leslie Parks can afford. Around Thanksgiving, IndyMac/One West began the process of actually rescinding the foreclosure and sheriff's sale. “This amazing development was an inspiration to many,” said Gawboy.

Leslie Parks' house has been a stand-out on the block for months – it is emblazoned with banners, posters and signs to inspire everyone to resist the foreclosures and evictions that are devastating our communities. At previous rallies at the Parks’ house, there have been countless honks of support from passing cars.

“Leslie Parks is fighter all the way. So many people are being jerked around by these big banks. Leslie shows that if we get out there, stand up and speak out we have a hope for change,” said Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

#MinneapolisMN #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #Evictions #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – Leslie Parks and her backers went to housing court Dec. 9 and filed papers against IndyMac/One West for doing an unlawful lockout. Leslie Parks had arrived home the night before only to find that all the locks had been changed on her home.

In a preliminary order, the judge ruled that IndyMac must let Leslie back into her home.

Meanwhile, the CEO of IndyMac, Terry Laughlin, called Parks, leaving a message that included an apology. Later, in a phone call with Park’s lawyer, IndyMac CEO Laughlin explained that they were taking full responsibility for the lockout and again he wished to offer great apologies to the Parks family. “I want to become personally involved in this,” he added. He also said that locksmiths were standing by outside Leslie Parks' home to repair the locks.

It took the locksmiths over two hours to fix all the locks at Leslie's house. In all, eight locks had to be replaced – including padlocked closet doors in the basement and interior of the house. There was a lot of senseless damage done to wrench open locked doors.

“We will continue this fight until the Parks family gets justice,” stated Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

#MinneapolisMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #Foreclosure #Eviction #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – On the night of Dec. 8, in a freezing blizzard, Leslie Parks returned from her job to find that IndyMac/One West had changed the locks to her home.

Locking Leslie Parks out of her home is illegal. In fact it is beyond illegal, given the struggle that Leslie Parks is waging to keep her home. It is a cynical breach of what all assumed were good faith negotiations on the part of IndyMac/One West.

After the start of national call-in week to IndyMac officials, organized by the Network to Fight for Economic Justice, IndyMac informed Leslie Parks, in writing, on Nov. 25 that they were rescinding both the foreclosure and the sheriffs sale. According to Ms. Parks, “I got an email from IndyMac stating, and I quote, 'In an effort to work with you and your mother and come to a resolution, we have started the process of rescinding the Trusteed Sale which took place on May 29, 2009.' They go on to say, and again I quote, 'You expressed concern that at the end of the redemption period (on Monday November 30, 2009) you and your mother will be evicted from the property. Rest assured, that will not take place due to the rescission of the foreclosure sale.'”

On Monday, Nov. 30, the Parks family and advocates had a phone conference with IndyMac to renew negotiations for the home. But 8 days later, IndyMac locked Leslie Parks out.

The Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign are putting out an action alert to call IndyMac about this situation.

Bailout lawyers also point out that even if IndyMac had not come to the table, the next step would be a notice to come to court for eviction proceedings. In no case should the locks be changed. “They did the same thing in May of this year – changed the locks illegally. We had to take them to court and fine them, and we will do it again,” said Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout.

#MinneapolisMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #Foreclosure #Eviction #LeslieParks

St. Paul, MN – Members of the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout gathered in the state capitol building, Dec. 2, outside the room where Minnesota Management and Budget department heads presented the ‘November Forecast,’ projecting a $1.2 billion deficit.

In past budget shortfalls, politicians balanced the budget by slashing programs that serve poor and working people.

“If the state needs money, go to where the money is. Tax the wealthy. Don’t cut more from programs that serve working people, the poor, unemployed, disabled and elderly,” said Deb Konechne of the Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout.

Governor Pawlenty, who has constantly opposed the agenda of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout and the Welfare Rights Committee, is on the record as opposing tax increases for wealthy Minnesotans.

A joint statement from the organizations noted: “People across this state are facing dire circumstances. Thousands more have lost homes due to foreclosures, thousands are still losing jobs, facing layoffs and running out of unemployment. Many who thought they would never have to go back on welfare are now bumping into the five-year lifetime limit. More and more of us are going to food shelves to keep food on the table, or finding ourselves homeless and in the streets.”

The hearing room where the forecast was presented has glass doors. Since most Minnesota politicians won’t allow signs in hearing rooms, the protesters held signs up to the glass from the outside. Near the end of the presentation, picketers entered the hearing room through three separate doors, holding “Tax the rich” signs. Capitol security guards scrambled to try to intercept the protesters, who when pursued, slowly walked to exit doors before their signs could be taken away. Two protesters offered comments to state Economist Tom Stinson about how the state budget should be balanced.

Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee, said, “We basically told them to quit balancing the budget on the backs of poor and working people.”

The Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout will present bills in 2010 that call for unemployment extensions, no layoffs, a moratorium on welfare limits, a halt to eviction of tenants in foreclosed properties and a moratorium on home foreclosures.

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout