{news} Proposal: Amendment of State Party Affiliation Agreement Requirements

[Charlie Pillsbury]

Discussion has begun on the following proposal, and I would be interested in any comments you have about this proposal.

Proposal ID: 267
Proposal: Amendment of Affiliation Agreement Requirements
Floor Manager: Sarah echo Steiner, ecostar at bellsouth.net
Discussion Dates: 03/12/2007 - 03/25/2007
Voting Dates: 03/26/2007 - 04/01/2007

Background: The Green Party of the United States is funded from many sources,
including private donations and regular giving, merchandising, meeting
fees, etc.  Most of these sources are not constant from year to year.
An additional dependable and sustainable stream of revenue, even at a
relatively modest size, would be of great value.

More importantly, since participation in financial support of the GPUS
is not universal among our affiliated state Green Parties, nor is it
currently tied to affiliation, there is a divorce of accountability
from affiliation.  Financial support is key to ownership, and representation
without taxation is contrary to the Key Values of personal and global
responsibility and of future focus.  We want our state affiliates to
feel, and exercise, ownership of the Green Party of the United States.
The fact of universal financial participation is, therefor, more
important than the actual revenue achieved.

Many factors affect a state GP's ability to support the GPUS, at even a
base level, and some states bring added value with their delegations in
ways that support the Key Values of  feminism and respect for
diversity.  Therefor a fair system of affiliate support must include variations
reflecting these realities and values.  And Caucuses should be excused,
because payment by their members would represent a doubled level of
support, since Caucus members are all simultaneously members of state
Green Parties.

State GPs which found themselves burdened with extraordinary expenses
incurred while meeting other affiliation criteria, like achieving
ballot status, should have a fund from which to apply for assistance. 
Finally, support expectations should be proportional to the size of a
state GP, and delegate size is a presumptively fair benchmark.

Proposal: Currently the Bylaws provide:
I. Criteria for State Party Membership in the Green Party of the United 
States.
1. Acceptance of the four pillars of the international Green Party
movement [ecological wisdom, social justice, grassroots democracy,
non-violence] or the Ten Key Values as guiding principles.
2. Organized and run in accordance with these values.
3. A statewide organization open to, and reflective of, a statewide
membership.
4. Agrees to support national candidates selection by Green convention.
5. Makes good faith effort, where reasonable, to achieve ballot status.
6. Makes good faith effort to run state and local candidates.
7. Has applied to GREEN PARTY for accreditation, and has included
written by-laws, platform, and other documentation with that application.
8. Has a history of networking with other environmental and social
justice organizations.
9. Evidence of commitment to, and good faith efforts to achieve, gender 
balance in party leadership and representation.
10. Evidence of good faith efforts to empower individuals and groups
from oppressed communities, through, for example, leadership
responsibilities, identity caucuses and alliances with community-based organizations, and 
endorsements of issues and policies.

This proposal would amend by adding an 11th criteria:
Financial participation in support of the GPUS, as below:

11. All affiliated state Green Parties shall annually participate in
the financial support of the Green Party of the United States, by
contributing a set minimum amount per NC delegate.  Initial amounts are
as listed below.  This requirement of financial participation will not
pertain to affiliated Caucuses, and a state GP's NC alternates will not 
be counted toward the expected total share of support for that state
GP. The initial base level of financial support will be $300, per
affiliated state GP, per NC delegate, per year, or, alternatively, 1/3 of the
state GP budget for that year, whichever is lower.  This share of support is
due on or before the last day of the ANM, beginning in 2007.

This base level of financial support will decrease to $200 per delegate 
if the state GP provides the NC with a gender balanced voting
delegation, excepting a sole, or a final odd-numbered, delegate.   [This decreased
level is available immediately.  To avoid ex post facto application,
states GP delegations which currently lack gender balance may
contribute at this lower rate until the state GP next elects delegates, but not
more than two years from the enactment date.  Also, states may voluntarily
ally with each other to report a total gender balanced delegation, ie,
two males from one state GP and two females from another. ]

State GPs will be entitled, immediately, to a reduction, to $100 per
delegate, to the extent that the state GP sends delegates who improve
the GP-US NC racial/ethnic balance.

This is a base level of financial participation, and state GPs are
encouraged to contribute more, in accord with their ability to give,
and the needs of the GPUS.

One half, or more, of the amounts received through this requirement, of 
financial participation by affiliated state GPs, shall be set aside to
help state GPs who are burdened with extraordinary expenses incurred
while meeting other affiliation criteria, like achieving ballot status, etc.

The amount of this base level of financial support will be redetermined 
by the NC every fourth year, at the ANM in the year immediately
following the convention which nominates the Green Party presidential team.

Resources:
Contact: Claudia Ellquist, AzGP,  at ellquist.co.atty at juno.com

Will add to GP-US revenue stream, without expenditure.

References: None
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