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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	622
Proposal	To Sustain SC Decision on Substitute Proposal - Instr to Budget Writers, Undoing Racism Training
Presenter	Steering Committee
Floor Manager	Budd Dickinson
Phase	Closed
Discussion	10/17/2011 - 10/19/2011
Voting	10/20/2011 - 10/22/2011
Result	Failed
Presens Quorum	31 0.6666
Consens Quorum	30 A Majority of Yes and No Votes

Background

In accordance with our rules and policy on procedural objections [Rules &
Procedures, Section 6-10
http://www.gp.org/documents/rules.shtml#06 and Proposal #266 Process for
Resolution of Procedural Objections
http://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=266], an appeal has been posted
objecting to the decision of the Steering Committee to adopt findings
concerning the substitute proposal "Instructions to Budget Writers, Undoing
Racism Training," which will result in the return the proposal to the
sponsor, Green Party of Georgia, to have the findings addressed.

Below under Resources are the substitute proposal and the findings.

The Green National Committee is being asked to vote on whether you approve
of the SC's findings. Vote YES if you agree with the SC's decision. Vote
NO if you disagree and believe the proposal should be sent to the voting
queue as written.

Proposal

The GPUS Green National Committee sustains (agrees with) with the Steering
Committee's findings regarding the proposal submitted by the Green Party of
Georgia, "Instructions to Budget Writers, Undoing Racism Training," and the
Steering Committe's decision to return the proposal to the sponsors to have
the findings addressed before re-submission.

Resources

6-4.1 SPONSOR:

Georgia Green Party

6-4.2 CONTACT:
Byron L. Merritt byron.merritt@gmail.com 404.387.3176 c
Denice Traina denicetraina@gmail.com 706.364.7861 h

6-4.3 SUBJECT/TITLE:

Instructions to Budget Writers, Undoing Racism Training

6-4.4 TYPE OF PROPOSAL, EXPECTED APPROVAL THRESHOLD: (as per 6-2) simple
majority pursuant to 6-2.2(b) Resolutions

6-4.5 REQUESTED PROPOSAL DECISION-MAKING TIMELINE

An immediate two week discussion, followed by a one week vote.

6-4.6 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

The following substitute resolution was endorsed for the consideration of
the National Committee by the Georgia Delegation on National Green Party
Affairs and reflects changes intended to address the previous findings
of the Steering Committee. The Georgia Green Party urges this body's
enthusiastic support.

6-4.7 PROPOSAL:

The National Committee finds that the work of the Green Party of the
United States and its accredited state parties and caucuses would be
empowered by a collective and rigorously developed strategy for
deconstructing racism within the ranks of the Party, within the broader
progressive community and in our Party's public policy work at the
local, state, federal and international levels.

Resolved, by the National Committee of the Green Party of the United
States, that:

(1) The Finance and Fundraising Committees are instructed to develop and
the Steering Committee is instructed to recommend, in its next proposed
budget to the National Committee, a fundraising plan and budget
authorization for funding sufficient to provide for the travel,
accomodations and participation of each member of the Steering
Committee in the "Undoing Racism Community Organizing Workshop"
(http://www.pisab.org/programs#urcow), offered by the Peoples
Institute for Survival and Beyond;

(2) The Steering Committee is instructed to appoint an ad-hoc committee
to work with the budget writers to develop a budget for this project,
to negotiate rates with vendors and venues and to promote party-wide
participation in the workshop;

(3) In developing their recommendations, budget writers and the adhoc
committee are urged (a) to solicit bids from state Green Parties willing
to organize on-site logistical support in an affordable travel hub where
they will host the weekend long workshop, providing for community
housing and (b) to consider opportunities for hosting this workshop
at the 2012 Presidential Nominating Convention or at such other venue
and time at which the Steering Committee is otherwise assembled;

(4) the adhoc committee is instructed to work with the Fundraising
Committee to solicit contributions to support this project and to
seek the paid participation of Greens throughout the Party to help
fill the workshop and finance the costs of its presentation; and

(5) each accredited state party is urged to provide for the
participation of at least two members of their state leadership, either
in the workshop organized by the adhoc committee, or at other workshops
organized locally and presented by the Peoples Institute for Survival
and Beyond (http://www.pisab.org/) or a similar organization offering
comparable training.

6-4.8 IMPLEMENTATION/TIMELINE/RESOURCES: (personnel, meetings, work hours,
finances, period of implementation, including any sunset clause
if applicable)

Adoption of this resolution, will instruct the Steering Committee to
appoint an ad-hoc committee to fulfill the charge anticipated by the
adoption of this resolution, and further to instruct the Finance Committee
to develop and the Steering Committee to recommend a 2012 Annual budget
consistent with the existing deadlines to fund undoing racism training
for party leadership in the coming cycle.

The on-budget costs of fulfilling the charge of this resolution is
anticipated to range between $3,000 and $13,000 depending on the rates
negotiated by the event organizers and whether the training is
scheduled to coincide with the Presidential Nominating Convention or
other opportunity at which participants might otherwise be assembled
at a single venue.

6-4.9 REFERENCES: (Sources for readily obtainable materials to aid in
the decision making process of voting members, including additional
background)

http://pisab.org/programs

*************************************************************
Findings:

Findings to report on the amended Georgia Proposal scheduled for
consideration on the 10/9/11 conference call.

Compare the text of the substitute proposal with the original and note the
following changes:

Section 6-4.2 has been amended to include new language requiring the ad hoc
committee to "work with the budget writers to develop a budget for this
project, to negotiate rates with vendors and venues and to promote
party-wide participation in the workshop." This language is not clear on who
the budget writers tasked to assist the ad hoc committee are, whether they
are ad hoc committee members, NC delegates or outside consultants. Thus,
object to it as unclear in what it is asking the NC to do.

Section 6-4.7 (4) has been amended to add new language instructing the ad
hoc committee to "to work with the Fundraising Committee to solicit
contributions to support this project."

Object to this language because the Fundraising Committee is limited to
soliciting contributions for the Party, not subordinate committees as per
GPUS Fiscal Policy, ARTICLE IV FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE, Section 4-2 Duties and
Responsibilities:

"4-2.2 Participate on an ongoing basis in the fundraising of the Party and
carry out those tasks and responsibilities necessary for the Party to
realize its fundraising plans and achieve its fundraising goals."

Section 6-4.8 has been amended with language to "instruct the Steering
Committee to appoint an ad-hoc committee to fulfill the charge anticipated
by the adoption of this resolution".

The same section retains language to "instruct the Finance Committee to
develop and the Steering Committee to recommend a 2012 Annual budget
consistent with the existing deadlines to fund undoing racism training for
party leadership in the coming cycle."

Object to this language, because the Finance Committee is limited to
developing a budget for the Party not subordinate committees as per GPUS
Fiscal Policy, ARTICLE III FINANCE COMMITTEE, Section 3-2 Duties and
Responsibilities:

"3-2.2 Prepare and submit a draft annual GPUS budget to the SC."

Section 6-4.8 has been further amended to provide a cost estimate to GPUS of
between $3,000 and $13,000 to conduct the training.

Object to this estimate because with a range of $10,000 it is not specific
as to its impact on the GPUS budget. Thus it is unclear in what it is asking
the NC to do.

In summary, find that the amended proposal does not meet the following
requirements of GPUS Rules and Procedures, Section 6-5, Steering Committee
Review:

"6-5.1 The Steering Committee shall have the responsibility to review
whether a proposal satisfies the following criteria:

"6-5.1(d) Is not in conflict with GPUS Bylaws, Rules and Procedures, Fiscal
Policy or Presidential Convention Rules;
"6-5.1(e) Is clear in what it asks the National Committee to decide"

Recommend that the proposal be returned to Georgia for further amendment
consistent with these findings.

References

Process for Resolution of Procedural Objections
http://www.gp.org/documents/rules.shtml#06
http://gp.org/cgi-bin/vote/propdetail?pid=266

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