NPI makes a difference by giving worthy but neglected causes a boost
Hard times have come to our region’s newspapers, making it harder for citizens to stay informed about their government.
This spring, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer stopped publishing its print edition, moving to an online-only format, and just recently, The Columbian filed for bankruptcy, putting Clark County’s dominant local news source in jeopardy.
The slow collapse of our local news delivery system is just one of the reasons why the work of the Northwest Progressive Institute is so vital.
We fill a gap in coverage of state issues - issues which directly affect the lives of people in the Northwest - but we also take it a big step further.
Not only do we report what's going on in our state's capitol, but we actively get involved in the issues dear to our hearts.
One good example of such an issue is the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, a key legislative priority. Two years ago, the NPI team took notice when the state House killed a proposal to provide basic protection for Washingtonians who buy a new home. Currently, in Washington State, if something goes wrong with your home - like the roof is leaky or the foundation is cracked - you get stuck with the bill. You can't take a builder to court to compel them to come back and fix their mistakes.
We took a stand against this injustice, and have been working to push the Legislature to pass a Homeowner's Bill of Rights ever since.
As our Executive Director testifed last year:
We care about them and their plight.
NPI joined with the consumer advocacy group WashPIRG to support a safe homes guarantee for homeowners. We;ve worked with legislators to move a bill through the statehouse for two years in a row. Although we weren't successful in either 2008 or 2009, we view this as a multiyear effort. We're just getting started.
As champions for “regular folks” and for the common good, this year NPI also pushed for retro reform, which would stop abuse of our state's "restrospective ratings" system by powerful interest groups like the Building Industry Association of Washington.
We also supported bills updating our schools in order to give our students the skills they need for the 21st century.
The NPI team is committed to keeping you informed, to fighting for meaningful change, and to facilitating a broader conversation about where the state is going and how we should get there. None of us are paid to do any of this, but we still have bills to pay. Can you chip in to help keep us going for another year?
Just click the button above to donate $25 right now, It's that easy. You do not need to sign in to a PayPal, Amazon, or Google account to donate online. You simply need a credit card. (We accept Visa and MasterCard, plus American Express).
Alternatively, if you'd prefer to donate by check, you can mail a contribution to:
Northwest Progressive Institute
Post Office Box 264
Redmond, WA 98073
We are already looking ahead to the 2010 legislative session, preparing for a major push on legislative priorities like the Homeowner's Bill of Rights, retro reform, automatic voter regstration, and property tax reform. But we need your help to ensure we're at full strength for the fight ahead.
Even if you can only give a little, consider that a little adds up to a lot. If you care as much about our region's future as we do, put your money where your heart and soul is and make an investment in progressive infrastructure.
This spring, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer stopped publishing its print edition, moving to an online-only format, and just recently, The Columbian filed for bankruptcy, putting Clark County’s dominant local news source in jeopardy.
The slow collapse of our local news delivery system is just one of the reasons why the work of the Northwest Progressive Institute is so vital.
We fill a gap in coverage of state issues - issues which directly affect the lives of people in the Northwest - but we also take it a big step further.
Not only do we report what's going on in our state's capitol, but we actively get involved in the issues dear to our hearts.
One good example of such an issue is the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, a key legislative priority. Two years ago, the NPI team took notice when the state House killed a proposal to provide basic protection for Washingtonians who buy a new home. Currently, in Washington State, if something goes wrong with your home - like the roof is leaky or the foundation is cracked - you get stuck with the bill. You can't take a builder to court to compel them to come back and fix their mistakes.
We took a stand against this injustice, and have been working to push the Legislature to pass a Homeowner's Bill of Rights ever since.
As our Executive Director testifed last year:
For over a year, our organization has been hearing from Washington families who have, through no fault of their own, lost their life’s savings, their health, their ability to finance their children’s college education, and their prosperity because there was a defect or problem with the workmanship of their home.NPI is one of the few progressive organizations in the state working to help distraught homeowners who previously thought that they were alone in their troubles. We're here to tell them that they're not alone.
We care about them and their plight.
NPI joined with the consumer advocacy group WashPIRG to support a safe homes guarantee for homeowners. We;ve worked with legislators to move a bill through the statehouse for two years in a row. Although we weren't successful in either 2008 or 2009, we view this as a multiyear effort. We're just getting started.
As champions for “regular folks” and for the common good, this year NPI also pushed for retro reform, which would stop abuse of our state's "restrospective ratings" system by powerful interest groups like the Building Industry Association of Washington.
We also supported bills updating our schools in order to give our students the skills they need for the 21st century.
The NPI team is committed to keeping you informed, to fighting for meaningful change, and to facilitating a broader conversation about where the state is going and how we should get there. None of us are paid to do any of this, but we still have bills to pay. Can you chip in to help keep us going for another year?
Just click the button above to donate $25 right now, It's that easy. You do not need to sign in to a PayPal, Amazon, or Google account to donate online. You simply need a credit card. (We accept Visa and MasterCard, plus American Express).
Alternatively, if you'd prefer to donate by check, you can mail a contribution to:
Northwest Progressive Institute
Post Office Box 264
Redmond, WA 98073
We are already looking ahead to the 2010 legislative session, preparing for a major push on legislative priorities like the Homeowner's Bill of Rights, retro reform, automatic voter regstration, and property tax reform. But we need your help to ensure we're at full strength for the fight ahead.
Even if you can only give a little, consider that a little adds up to a lot. If you care as much about our region's future as we do, put your money where your heart and soul is and make an investment in progressive infrastructure.
# Posted by Kathleen : 9:13 PM
Comments:
Post a Comment