In-Person Meeting: 10 am – Noon at Central Library, Market Street, Charlottesville. Followed by LWV-VA “Money in Politics” presentation from 1 pm to 2 pm

What is “Program Planning”?  Program Planning happens annually at the local League level. It is the time when we consider the positions taken by our League on the local and state or national levels. Our positions give the League a voice and are the result of an established process: the LWV takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause. Without a position, League action/advocacy cannot be taken. This is what your League of Women Voters is all about and Program Planning is your opportunity to weigh in.

For 2022-23, we will study Local and State League positions in preparation for our May 2023 LWV CVA Annual Meeting as well as the June 3-4 LWV-VA convention. Do we wish

• to retain current positions;
• to act on them; and/or
• begin new studies with the goal of establishing consensus and positions for action on other issues? [Click here for sample “Checksheet for Local Program.”]

To prepare for our 2022 meeting, check out our Local Program: Positioned for Action as described in the LWV CVA 2022-2023 Member Handbook [yellow cover]. On pages 16 -21, you will find “Action” items on: Government, Natural Resources, and Social Policy. (These positions can also be found on this website: lwv-cva.org under the pull-down menu, “Explore the League” – Advocacy, then click on “Local.”) LWV CVA Vice-President Carol Cutler recommends that you read the Program section (pages 16-21) of the LWV CVA 2022-23 Member Handbook [yellow cover] before you come to the meeting and bring your copy to the meeting.

Note: Click here for the report by Stephanie Lowenhaupt, re: proposed action statement to be discussed at our December 3 Program Planning meeting identifying key health care issues pertaining to access and equity in the Charlottesville Area that we can advocate for, educate, and inform. AND, click here for the proposed Government position update.

Similarly, review the LWV-VA state positions. A full description can be found by clicking on Positioned for Action. Carolyn Caywood, LWV-VA Program Planning director, asks us to consider “how each position has, or has not, aided advocacy in the last two years.  What has changed since the position was approved and is the position broad enough to cover the new circumstances?” Two goals to keep in mind: this is how we keep our positions up-to-date and member-driven, and afterward members should be more familiar with the positions. We will send in our responses by Feb 28, 2023.

For more information about Program Planning, contact Carol Cuter, email: gertrude3@icloud.com

Please Note: After our Program Planning meeting on December 3, we will have a lunch break and then we will watch the LWV-VA “Money in Politics” presentation, beginning at 1 pm. All members are encouraged to stay to watch the “Money in Politics” presentation by the state league study group. We will watch the presentation so that we can answer their consensus questions. Each local league is requested to answer consensus questions for state studies. If you are unable to attend this afternoon session, the zoom link for the study group presentation is:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89290528131?pwd=NnZvNnpPbkhsYTNSZ3ZqeFNodWhEUT09 Meeting ID: 892 9052 8131 Passcode: 771634

For more information about the LWV-VA “Money in Politics” presentation, contact Carol Cuter, email: gertrude3@icloud.com