Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 8/24/2020

DMO Update

• Watch Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Convention address to Democratic Municipal Officials.

• The DMO Michigan Chapter will be hosting a virtual fundraiser to benefit the MI Democratic Party tomorrow. Learn more at MichiganDems.com/DMO.

• Enjoyed our programming during the Democratic National Convention? Help us do more for you, with a monthly contribution of any amount at NationalDMO.org/donate.

Quick Links

• The pandemic is hitting city budgets harder than the Great Recession

• How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering – Redlined neighborhoods have more asphalt surfaces and fewer trees, making them dangerous heat sinks.

• Granite Falls Mayor Dave Smiglewski honored with top award for elected officials from the League of Minnesota Cities

Ideas for Cities

• Cities and Libraries Partner to Achieve a Complete Census Count – How We’re Doing it in Kansas City

• ‘Life or death’: Baking U.S. cities legislate for air conditioning

• How the ‘15-Minute City’ Could Help Post-Pandemic Recovery

Advisory Board Updates

• Gordian Helps Ready McCormick Place for COVID-19 Response

• Servline by Homeserve

• A Plan To Safely Reopen America’s Schools and Communities – American Federation of Teachers

News for Democrats 

• Trump Cabinet officials voted in 2018 White House meeting to separate migrant children, say officials

• Tennessee governor signs bill increasing punishments for certain protests – Punishments include a loss of voting rights for protesters convicted of a felony for camping on state property.

• DeJoy pushes back on criticism of changes to Postal Service, says he won’t restore sorting machines

Pic of the Week

Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Kamala Harris appear together on the fourth night of the Democratic National Convention.

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 8/17/2020

DMO Update

• Register for our week of events celebrating local Democrats during the Democratic National Convention!

• Today’s special guests include Whip Jim Clyburn, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, former Mayor John Norquist, Bruce Katz, Jarrett Walker, AFSCME’s Henry Garrido, the DMO Delegates, Adissu Demissie, Council Member Derek Green, and the Ironworkers’ Michelle Frisk!

• Looking for consultants or tools for your next campaign? The DMO Marketplace is now open for you to browse!

Quick Links

• What Happens to Viral Particles on the Subway?

• States Are Abusing Preemption Powers in the Midst of a Pandemic

• Nationwide Survey Finds One-Third of Renters Unable to Pay August Rent

Ideas for Cities

• How Minneapolis Pivoted Its Summer Youth Employment Program Online

• Are you a member of the Analyst Institute? Read the research on what does, and doesn’t work for modern campaigns.

• With downtowns staying abandoned, put tiny businesses back into residential neighborhoods

News for Democrats 

• Postal Crisis Ripples Across Nation as Election Looms

• Watch the Democratic National Convention – Be sure to use #NationalDMO and #DMO10 so we can amplify your message!

• Nate Silver Introduces The 2020 Election Forecast

Pic of the Week

This summer marks ten years of DMO as a staffed organization! Participate in one of our virtual events and join the Party!

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 8/10/2020

DMO Update

• Register for our week of events celebrating local Democrats during the Democratic National Convention!

• Congratulations to DMO Blue Star Rising Dan Besse on his endorsement from President Obama.

• Act Now To Save Our Cities

Quick Links

• Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia On Losing His Mother To COVID-19

• The frustration of trying to invest in my hometown

• ‘This Push to Open Schools Is Guaranteed to Fail’

Ideas for Cities

• Don’t Knock Doors – Voter Contact During COVID-19

• Ithaca moves forward with rent cancellation proposal – The city provides a good model for how to balance the community’s needs with practical solutions.

• What Happens When a Pandemic Meets a Heat Wave

News for Democrats 

• New York Attorney General Sues N.R.A. and Seeks Its Closure

• Housing in Brief: HUD Kills Another Obama-Era Fair Housing Rule – Ending the AFFH removes a key tool ensuring low-income housing is distributed without racial discrimination, or in a way that segregates our cities.

• State Attorneys General Sue Over Clean Water Act Changes

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 8/3/2020

DMO Update

• Join the DMO Policy Council and Sukhi Samra from the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration to discuss a local guaranteed income. Wednesday, August 5th at 3pm ET, 12pm PT.

• Congratulations to DMO Blue Star Rising Dan Besse on his endorsement from President Obama this morning.

• Act Now To Save Our Cities

Quick Links

• If state and local governments continue to struggle, so will America

• Nearly 30 million Americans told the Cencus Bureau they didn’t have enough to eat last week

• How to sign the local government amicus brief in Fulton v City of Philadelphia – This ruling may force cities to continue working with companies guilty of discrimination, in spite of anti-discrimination contracts or local ordinances.

Ideas for Cities

• Roll Tape: Documenting Ad Hoc Measures to Encourage Social Distancing

• How To Reinvest in Communities When Reducing the Scope of Policing

• City of Austin provides COVID-19 relief grants for childcare centers

Advisory Board Spotlight

• SEIU Sign on Letter – COVID-19 Fiscal Relief and Stimulus for State and Local Governments

• Comcast Internet Essentials Impact Summit Recap Report

• SoftBank put together a $100 million investment fund for minority-owned businesses in 24 hours

News for Democrats 

• How the COVID-19 housing crisis could affect voter participation – Are tenants in your community facing a difficult legal challenge? Contact Noelle Porter at the National Housing Law Project to connect to their national network of housing law experts.

• 3 Months Of Hell: U.S. Economy Drops 32.9% In Worst GDP Report Ever

• 8 Big Reasons Election Day 2020 Could Be a Disaster

Pic of the Week

How the eviction crisis across the U.S. will look

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 7/27/2020

DMO Update

• Join the DMO Policy Council and Sukhi Samra from the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration to discuss a local guaranteed income. Wednesday, August 5th at 3pm ET, 12pm PT.

• Dan Besse and Melissa Fox have been named DMO Blue Star Rising candidates.

• We hope you enjoyed our Municipal Mondays call with Tom Perez. You can still share your story for the Convention, and DMO members may register events outside of the DNC official programming by completing the Virtual Events Calendar Form by Friday, July 31, 2020, at 5:00 PM CST.

Quick Links

• DemDaily: The Convention Calendar is Up! – Keep track of every event the week of the Convention.

• Federal Funding Is Essential To Saving State and Local Public Services

• Progressive Prosecutors Push for Reform in Response to Protests

Ideas for Cities

• What is Tenant Opportunity to Purchase?

• Twin Cities Kayak Share Program Helps More People Paddle the Mississippi

• What Some Cities Are Doing To Keep Guns Away From Domestic Abusers – Many cities can partner with federal and state governments to better report domestic abuse during background checks, or to confiscate firearms after a domestic abuse incident.

Messaging – Campaign Messaging with Vic Fingerhut

• Despite COVID and the George Floyd tragedy, traditional views of the strengths and weaknesses of the two parties (remarkably) persist in the attitudes and political perceptions of the critical swing electorate.

• Healthcare, framed correctly, still has a powerful pro-Democratic valence — as it did in 2018…and as it has for years.

• “Managing the economy” and “managing the economic recovery” (framed in these macro management terms) do not work.

• Watch the full interview.

Advisory Board Updates

• HomeServe on Public-Private Partnerships

• Tell Congress to Fund the Front Lines: Pass State and Local Aid Now – A toolkit from AFSCME on calling for local funding.

• OpenGov Webinar: Getting Back On Track With Strategic Budgeting and Transparency – Make use of the financial strategy documents discussed in this webinar.

News for Democrats 

• Senate Republicans, White House seek to reduce weekly unemployment benefit from $600 to $200

• Despite judge’s order, migrant children remain detained amid COVID outbreak

• Lawmakers set for tearful goodbye to John Lewis

Pic of the Week

A Portland protester being detained by an anonymous federal agent who has no military or law enforcement designation.

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 7/20/2020

DMO Update

• Dan Besse and Melissa Fox have been named DMO Blue Star Rising candidates.

• We hope you enjoyed our Municipal Mondays call with Tom Perez. You can still share your story for the Convention, and DMO members may register events outside of the DNCC official programming by completing the Virtual Events Calendar Form by Friday, July 31, 2020, at 5:00 PM CST.

• Five days until COVID emergency assistance ends. Call your senators now to demand they pass the HEROES Act, including water security for every American.

Quick Links

• Assessing the State of Police Reform

• Minimum wage workers cannot afford rent in any U.S. state

• Coronavirus Concerns Revive Labor Organizing

Ideas for Cities

• How One City Went Virtual In 30 Days

• Why More Cities Are Hoping to Give Tenants the Chance to Purchase Their Buildings

• Navigating Preemption during COVID: Four Steps Cities Can Take to Increase Affordable Housing

Advisory Board Updates

• Introducing the #GiveFromTheCart Challenge: Turn Your Groceries Into Good

• Boardable now includes video meetings. You can try them out with a free trial at boardable.com.

• ‘Strike for Black Lives’: Thousands to Walk Off Job to Protest Racial Inequality – Learn more about the Strike for Black Lives

News for Democrats 

• Georgia governor bans cities from ordering people to wear face masks – Watch Savannah Mayor Van Johnson’s response to Kemp’s ban.

• The Next Disaster Is Just a Few Days Away – The end of COVID unemployment insurance triggers a chain of defaults on rent, mortgages, and the ability to buy necessities for struggling Americans.

• The QAnon Candidates Are Here. Trump Has Paved Their Way. – The newest incarnation of the Tea Party thrives on internet conspiracies.

Pic of the Week

Rest In Power, Representative John Lewis. May we continue to get in good trouble.

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 7/13/2020

DMO Update

• Dan Besse and Melissa Fox have been named DMO Blue Star Rising candidates.

• We hope you enjoyed our Municipal Mondays call with Tom Perez. You can still share your story for the Convention, and DMO members may register events outside of the DNCC official programming by completing the Virtual Events Calendar Form by Friday, July 31, 2020, at 5:00 PM CST.

• Build the movement for water security. Publish this sample op-ed in your local paper.

Quick Links

• Reopening in Cities Across the Country: What Does the Data Show

• Citibot’s automated chatbot answers residents’ COVID questions 24/7 and is CARES Act eligible. DMOs can learn more about their free 60 day text alert offer.

• Tens of Thousands in 25+ Cities to Strike for Black Lives – Learn more about the Strike for Black Lives

Ideas for Cities

• #NoCopsNoGuns: Investing in Real Solutions – A toolkit on keeping schools safe from the Advancement Project

• How Equitable Access to Banking Improves Economic Conditions for Everyone

• Cities find green ways to reduce storm floods

News for Democrats 

• Biden, Sanders unity task forces release policy recommendations

• DNC Announces New Voter File Model Increasing Texting Efficiency And Outreach

• Supreme Court Allows Employers and Universities To Deny Access To Birth Control Coverage

DMO Political Council Advice

Sangeeth Peruri of OutreachCircle

As a remote first company, OutreachCircle has experience with virtual organizing. Clients have used our affinity peer-to-peer texting and Supporter Action Hub to coordinate volunteers and run virtual trainings and canvassing programs, and our relational organizing tools make it easy to use proven GOTV tactics like vote tripling. Published research on the effect of relational organizing on down ballot elections has shown up to a 20% impact on turnout.

We’ve compiled tips and advice for how to successfully organize while social distancing with OutreachCircle on our website, and we’ve also recorded a webinar on relational organizing’s effect on down ballot races that can be viewed on YouTube.

Pic of the Week

Three Words. 70 Cases. The Tragic History of ‘I Can’t Breathe.’

Democratic Municipal Officials Digest
Week of 6/22/2020

DMO Update

• Want to organize in Virginia? Join the DMO VA state chapter call this Friday at 11am. Email Christine.Senteno@NationalDMO.org.

• Stay on the lookout for more Municipal Monday content!

• Time to build the movement for water security. Publish this sample op-ed in your local paper.

Quick Links

• Innovations Conference: Shrink the System – A virtual conference on policing and justice.

• Power to Rework Criticized Police Contracts Lies With Elected Leaders

• Participatory Budgeting Comes to Atlanta

Ideas for Cities

• In Austin, ConnectATX Makes COVID-19 Resources Easy to Find

• A More Modern Approach to City-Owned Art

• Reimagining policing: Community leaders, activists, law enforcement, and others offer 14 ways to confront racist policing.

Advisory Board Updates

• Include an Equity Plan in your Project Labor Agreements

• National Safety Month

• Comcast Extends Free Public WiFi Access to Everyone For the Remainder of 2020

News for Democrats 

• House Democrats Lay Out $1.5 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

• Left eyes huge night in NY, Kentucky primaries

• Trump Campaign Pushing for Four Debates With Biden