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Citizen Advocacy Center 2002 Annual Report
2002 was the Citizen Advocacy Center's 8th year as an institution dedicated
to building democracy for the 21st Century throughout the western suburbs
of Chicago. Our staff and volunteers worked hard to strengthen the public's
capacity and motivation to participate in civic affairs. Citizens called
or visited the Center daily and obtained free civic materials, asked
community lawyers questions on matters of public concern, engaged in
civic discussions, accessed electronic information, learned about local
issues, attended training workshops, and developed civic skills. The
materials and knowledge acquired helped these citizens and many more
to participate in the public life of their communities. Center staff
continued to focus on four major initiatives in the year 2002:
Public Education and Capacity Building
The Citizen Advocacy Center is a resource for civic information. In
2002 our community lawyers helped citizens create citizen-initiated
communities through learning how to use civic tools such as the Freedom
of Information Act and the Open Meetings Act. The Center's staff and
volunteers researched and developed new printed materials on several
topics and enabled citizen participation in local affairs, regardless
of the subject matter or the point of view of those making the inquiry.
Center community lawyers and interns answered hundreds of questions
from concerned citizens on a wide variety of public interest topics
such as:
- How may a city extend a tax increment financing districts?
- Can public bodies consider new items not listed on agendas during
public meetings?
- How does a community group apply for a permit to hold a rally?
- What information may a public body distribute when a public body
referendum is on the ballot?
- Do candidates running for municipal government have to file ethics
statements?
- How is a municipal ordinance created?
- How does a community group obtain 501(c) 3 status?
The Center hosted, planned, spoke at or participated in presentations
to civic groups and several schools. The following list of such activities
does not include the Center's regular participation in public body meetings:
January
- Brown Bag Lunch, Attack on Civil Liberties (Elmhurst) (January 11)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (January 24)
- Evening Program, The State of Public Health (Elmhurst) (January 30)
February
- Elmhurst Lions Club (Elmhurst) (February 4)
- TV Turn-off Week: Center Mural (Elmhurst) (February 5)
- TV Turn-off Week: Center Mural (Elmhurst) (February 6)
- Citizen Training Corps Seminar: Who are your representatives at every
level of government? (Elmhurst) (February 6)
- Illinois Institute of Technology - Kent Law School Professional Day
(Chicago) (February 6)
- University of Illinois, Public Interest Career Fair (Champaign) (February
11)
- Midwest Public Interest Career Fair (Chicago)(February 16) · No Tolls
(Elmhurst) (February 20)
- Center for Neighborhood Technology, Connecting Communities Summer
(Wheaton) (February 27)
March
- Citizen Training Corps Seminar: the Freedom of Information Act (Elmhurst)
(March 13)
- Citizen Training Corps Seminar: the Open Meetings Act (Elmhurst)
(March 20)
- Elmwood Park Kiwanis Club (Elmwood Park) (March 26)
- Campaign Finance Reform Coalition (Chicago) (March 27)
- Citizen Training Corps Seminar: How a Bill Becomes a Law (Elmhurst)
(March 27)
April
- LaGrange Park Public Library (LaGrange Park) (April 1)
- Citizen Training Corps Seminar: Protect Your Privacy (Elmhurst) (April
3)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (April 4)
- Evening Program, Ethics Reform in Illinois (Elmhurst) (April 9)
- Illinois Senate Transportation Committee Hearing (Springfield) (April
10)
- Campaign Finance Reform Coalition (Chicago) (April 12)
- Citizen Advocacy Center 8th Anniversary Celebration (Glen Ellyn) (April
13)
- Lake Park High School Career Fair (Roselle) (April 15)
- Illinois State Toll Highway Authority Public Hearing (Glen Ellyn)
(April 16)
- Campaign Finance Reform - Ethics Press Conference (Chicago) (April
22)
- Senior Health and Safety Fair (Elmhurst) (April 24)
- University of Chicago Non-Profit Career Fair (Chicago) (April 27
- Rolling Thunder Down home Democracy Tour (Chicago) (April 27)
May
- Illinois Bar Association- Tax Increment Finance Reform Seminar (Chicago)
(May 9)
- American Bar Association - Privacy Rights Seminar (Chicago) (May 9)
- Talk of the Town Cable Show (Niles) (May 15) · No Tolls (Elmhurst)
(May 23)
- Jefferson Park Community Association (Jefferson Park) (May 30)
June
- Oakton Community College (Skokie) (June 4)
- Community Media Workshop (Chicago) (June 5)
- DuPage Peace Through Justice Coalition (Glen Ellyn) (June 9)
- Brown Bag Lunch, Affirmative Action & School Admissions (Elmhurst)
(June 14)
- Evening Program, Operation Safe Road (Elmhurst) (June 19)
- Rolling Thunder Down home Democracy Tour - Chautauqua (Chicago) (June
15)
July
- Free Airtime Campaign (Chicago) (July 9)
- Brown Bag Lunch, Internet Library Filters (Elmhurst) (July 12)
- Illinois State Bar Association Public Hearing (Chicago) (July 15)
- Democracy Day, Summer Intern Presentations (Elmhurst) (July 23)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (July 25)
August
- Evening Program, Protect Your Privacy (Elmhurst) (August 7)
- Chicago Tribune News and Education Fair (Chicago) (August 9)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (August 29) September
- Tollway Accountability Campaign (Chicago) (September 6)
- Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago) (September 13)
- Center for Neighborhood Technology Summit (Chicago) (September 14)
- Partners for Environmental Transportation (Chicago) (September 23)
- Press Publication Protest (Downers Grove) (September 27)
October
- Proviso West High School (Hillside) (October 1)
- Evening Program, Bankruptcy Reform (Elmhurst) (October 1)
- League of Women Voters: The Illinois Tollway, Are We Being Taken
for A Ride? (Chicago) (October 3)
- Woods Fund (Chicago) (October 4)
- Wheaton High School (Wheaton) (October 9)
- Chicago Area Law School Reception (Chicago) (October 9)
- Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Organization of Illinois (Elmhurst) (October
10)
- Heartland International, Tanzania visitors (Elmhurst) (October 11)
- Steinmetz Academy (Chicago) (October 16) · Ethics Reform Coalition
Press Conference (Chicago) (October 16)
- Hinsdale South High School (Hinsdale) (October 17)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (October 17)
- Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government Study Section: Taking
on the System and Mobilizing for Justice (Cambridge, MA) (October 17)
- Courtney Magnet School (Chicago) (October 21)
- Partners for Environmental Transportation (Chicago) (October 21)
- Heartland International, Belarusan visitors (Elmhurst) (October 23)
- Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago) (October 24)
- Equal Justice Work Non-Profit Career Fair (Washington D.C.) (October
25)
- Walt Disney Middle School (Chicago) (October 29)
- DuPage Peace Through Justice Coalition (Wheaton) (October 30)
- Heartland International Belarusan visitors (Elmhurst) (October 31)
November
- WZRD, Northeastern Radio (Chicago) (November 10)
- Elmhurst College (Elmhurst) (November 13)
- Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago) (November 13)
- Tollway Accountability Campaign (Chicago) (November 13)
- Illinois Education Association/ National Education Association Professional
Conference (Bloomington) (November 22)
December
- Citizen Initiative Award/ Holiday Cheer Party (Elmhurst) (December
4)
- No Tolls (Elmhurst) (December 5)
- Environmental Transportation Subcommittee for Governor- Elect Rod
Blagovevich Transition Team (Chicago) (December 9)
- Democracy In Action Seminar (December 10)
- Tollway Subcommittee for Governor - Elect Rod Blogovech Transition
Team (Chicago) (December 16)
- Tollway Tea Party (Downers Grove) (December 16)
Conferences attended by the Center to spread the concept of community
lawyering and advocacy to future lawyers:
- Chicago Law School Public Service Reception
- Equal Justice Works Non-Profit Career Fair
- Midwestern Public Interest Law Fair
- National Association for Public Interest Law Fair
- University of Chicago Non Profit Career Fair
- University of Illinois, Public Interest Career Fair
Center representatives regularly speak to high school and college
students about community organizing and civic empowerment.
- Courtney Magnet School
- Elmhurst College
- Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government
- Hinsdale South High School
- Lake Park High School
- Oakton Community College
- Proviso West High
- School Steinmetz Academy
- Walt Disney Middle School
- Wheaton North High School
Student Internships at the Citizen Advocacy Center With the oversight
of Center lawyers, student interns worked on numerous projects such
as analyzing new campaign finance laws, creating a privacy rights
seminar, and investigating the DuPage Water Commission. Student from
the following schools were 2002 Center interns:
- IIT Kent Chicago School of Law
- Northwestern University School of Law
- The George Washington University Law School
- Macalister College
- University of Illinois College of Law
- Vermont Law School
- Loyola University Chicago School of Law
- Georgetown University Law Center
- DePaul University College of Law
The summer interns also created or updated the following free
informational brochures:
- Guide to Federal Campaign Finance Reform
- Guide to State Campaign Finance Reform
- A Guide to the Illinois Open Meetings Act
- Guide to Mandatory Arbitration - Why Should You NOT Sign on the Dotted
Line?
- A Guide to Your Privacy Rights! A series of five brochures covering
- Protecting Your Privacy o Public Record Information: How Do
I Control My Personal Information
- Why Do I Need To Protect My Personal Information
- Credit Reports & Understanding Opt- Out Policies o Federal
and State Laws that Protect Your Privacy
- A Guide to Procurement - A series of brochures covering:
- Illinois Procurement
- Summary of Laws That Control DuPage County Procurement
- 1999 DuPage County Purchasing Ordinance
- How the 1999 DuPage County Procurement Ordinance Compares to
Other Counties State and the ABA Model Procurement Code
- Ethics and Procurement
All brochures are available on the Center's website www.citizenadvocacycenter.org
The Citizen Advocacy Center held our locally and nationally recognized
Citizen Training Corps seminar. In this innovative basic civic skills
class, participants meet once a week, for six weeks, and learn:
- Who representative are at every level of government and writing a
letter to the editor and your representatives;
- How to use the Freedom of Information Act;
- How to use the Open Meetings Act;
- How a city ordinance is passed, how a bill becomes a law and basic
legal research;
- Protect your privacy;
- Using civic tools to promote a cause.
The Open Forum, in addition to the Citizen Training Corps programs
and Democracy Workshops, the Center is the home of the Open Forum.
Evening programs and brown bag lunches are sponsored by the Center
to stimulate community discussion on a variety of issues. The following
were programs sponsored by the Center:
- Attack on Civic Liberties (January 11)
- The State of Public Health in Illinois (January 30)
- Illinois Ethics Reform Project (April 9) · Affirmative Action & School
Admissions (June 14)
- Operation Safe Road - Where Will the Investigation Lead? (June 19)
- Internet Library Filters - Who is Watching You? (July 12)
- Protect Your Privacy (August 7)
- The WorldCom Debacle (September 9)
- Democracy Day (July 23)
- Bankruptcy Reform: Who Wins? (October 1)
Everyday Democracy
The Center published four issues of our newsletter, Everyday Democracy,
during 2002. Citizens, student interns, and community lawyers contributed
editorial content. All 2002 newsletters are posted on the Center's
new website, www.citizenadvocacycenter.org.
Winter 2002:
- "Public Health in Illinois"
- "Keep an Eye on Your Financial Privacy"
- "Citizen Training Corps- Spring Session!"
- "A Citizen Initiated Transportation Plan"
- "The Illinois Ethics Reform Project"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center Names Terry Pastika as Executive Director"
Spring 2002:
- "An Agency Ripe For Reform: The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority"
- "Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation: SLAPP SUITS"
- "The Open Meetings Act, an Agenda 'New Items' Rule"
- "CAC Summer Events"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center Receives Two Matching Grants"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center's 8th Anniversary Celebration"
Summer:
- "The Changing Face of Campaign Finance"
- "Connecting the ……………" "Student Empowerment"
- "Unincorporated Communities"
- "Procurement in a Nutshell"
- "Government Efficiency or Usurping Democracy?"
- "Are You Killing Yourself At Work? Your Boss May Be Counting On It!"
- "Who Knows What About YOU!"
- "The WorldCom Debacle"
- "Tollgate III: The Toll Authority"
- "Consumers Crossing-Out"
- "Center Welcomes New Community Lawyer"
- "Donate On- Line at the Center's new website www.citizenadvocacycenter.org"
Fall 2002:
- "Bankruptcy Reform: Who Really Benefits?"
- "CAC Calendar of Events: Holiday Open House & Citizen Initiative Awards"
- "Democracy in Action Seminar"
- "Tollway Tea Party"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center Annual Membership Plan"
- "Center's Executive Director Visits Institute of Politics, Harvard
University"
Government and Corporate Accountability and the Development
of Systemic Democratic Protocols
The Citizen Advocacy Center responds to citizen inquiries and monitors
local governments to confront undemocratic practices such as failing to
conduct a proper search for public information, discriminating against
targeted communities, ignoring clear conflicts of interest, disbursing
taxpayer funds for improper public purposes, and stifling constitutionally
protected speech. The following summary captures many of the issues the
Center was an advocate for:
Reform of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
The Center is a pivotal suburban voice in a coalition of local organizations
seeking to hold the Toll Authority accountable for promises made to the
people of Illinois over forty years ago. In 2002 the Center's Executive
Director testified at an Illinois Senate Transportation Committee hearing
and at the Toll Authority's DuPage County Public Hearing in opposition
to a proposed toll hike. The Center also participated in a panel discussion
sponsored by the State League of Women Voters and held its fourth Tollway
Tea Party on the steps of the Toll Authority headquarters to demand accountability
and oversight.
Campaign Finance Reform
The Center has been investigating the relationship between money and
politics in Illinois, specifically, the procurement policies of DuPage
County. The Center is examining what correlation exists, if any, between
campaign contributions and the County's purchasing practices. The study
will be complete in spring 2003 and results will be widely disseminated.
The Center continued to work in coalition for contribution limits in Illinois
with several regional organizations. With new 2002 federal campaign finance
laws, the Center produced a comprehensive guide to the new laws and held
a pubic forum to discuss the reforms. The Center also produced an extensive
guide comparing the federal campaign finance laws with Illinois campaign
disclosure requirements. Both guides are available at the Center and on
our website
Corporate Owned Life Insurance Policies
Many Fortune 500 companies retain life insurance policies on employees
where the company rather than the employee is the sole beneficiary. These
policies are taken out on employees both with and without employee consent
or knowledge. The Center researched the public policy issues and Illinois
law surrounding COLI policies, held a public forum and distributed public
information to generate community awareness. Rep. Bob Biggins responded
to citizen concerns by introducing a bill to amend Illinois law to an
"opt-in" policy and to require specific disclosure that COLI policies
may be retained after employment.
Litigation and Issue Advocacy
The Center researched and raised citizen awareness on many issues of
public significance in 2002 and offered systemic solutions for reform.
Center lawyers emphasize non-litigatory approaches to using the law to
strengthen the democratic process. Only as a last resort, and on behalf
of select citizen causes does the Center use litigation to challenge abuses
of power and to remove systemic barriers that impair citizen access to
local government.
Public Records Litigation
After more than two years of litigation, the Center substantially prevailed
in obtaining the release of financial information and a fee reduction
under a Freedom of Information Act claim against DuPage County. The litigation
was pursuant to a request for public contract finance records to be used
in the Center's analysis of DuPage County procurement policies. The Center's
litigation highlighted the systemic problems of accessibility to public
records and the need for reform.
Adhesions Contracts and Mandatory Arbitration
When consumers sign adhesion contracts for goods or services, the consumer
is placed at a distinct disadvantage when problems arise. Most adhesion
contracts state that disputes with corporations must be settled by mandatory
arbitration and not litigation. Through an educational brochure and a
public forum, the Center taught consumers what adhesion contracts are,
how consumers are harmed by adhesion contracts, and how to take back negotiation
power by crossing-off hostile consumer provisions.
Privacy Rights
The Center launched an extensive privacy rights seminar in the summer
of 2002 that educates the public on how to protect financial privacy,
protect against identity theft and monitor credit reports for inaccuracies.
The Center issued a series of educational brochures for adults and high
school students and held seminars teaching how to keep personal information
from being sold, how to use "opt-out" provisions and how to read privacy
statements.
Ethics Reform Coalition
The Center participated in the Illinois Ethics Reform Project, a coalition
of more than 40 organizations who work to promote an open, accessible
and accountable system of government. The coalition asked government officials
and candidates for elected office to commit to clear and enforceable ethical
standards. 209 candidates, including 22 of the 24 candidates for statewide
executive office, supported principles for ethics reform by signing the
Candidate Ethics Pledge. The Center also hosted an Ethics Reform evening
program where the Gift Ban Act, the subsequent litigation over provisions
in the Gift Ban Act, and Illinois House Bill 1330 were discussed.
Building Institutions and Community Resources
The Center fostered civic discourse in the community and helped local
groups by providing technical assistance, speakers and participating in
local events. In 2002, the Center continued to aid citizens in promoting
systemic change and recognized the contributions of others.
Community Resources
Free Meeting Space
The Center provided assistance to several citizen groups advocating policy
changes in the areas of civic education and public participation in local
government by offering free meeting space. No Tolls and the Pancreatic
Cancer Awareness Organization of Illinois used Center facilities regularly.
Building International Coalitions
The Center continued to build democracy internationally by hosting international
visitors who are working to build democracy in their own country and to
build international coalitions. The Center hosted visitors from Tanzania
and Belarus. Our foreign visitors met with Center staff and volunteers
to consult on a broad range of subjects such as day-to-day management
issues, media relations, grassroots organizing, volunteer recruitment,
and effective coalition building.
Civic Empowerment Classes
Center representatives met several times with teachers from Oakton Community
College to assist them in developing a for-credit civic empowerment course,
modeled after the Center's hands-on Citizen Training Corps program. We
are proud to recognize teachers from Oakton Community College working
towards systemic change in civic education.
Building Institutions
Eighth Anniversary Celebration
April 13th marked the eighth anniversary of the day the Center opened
its doors to help citizens build democracy. Supporters from throughout
Chicagoland gathered for the celebration along with special guests: acoustic
guitar players, Mighty Joe and Arthur Lee, former intern and violinist,
Ms. Navreet Kaur Heneghan; Social Poet, James McGrew; Ed Yohnka from the
ACLU; and Harold Taggart from the Democratic Socialists.
Citizen Initiative Awards
The Center presented two individuals and one community group with the
2002 Citizen Initiative Award. Citizen Initiative Awards recognize individuals
in the community who have built democracy in their community and by their
actions, inspired others to become active community participants. The
recipients were: Mr. and Mrs. Philip Barr (Downers Grove), Ms. Toni Parker
(Lyons), and the DuPage Peace Through Justice Coalition.
Democracy Day
Democracy Day is an annual Center event where summer interns present
an overview of their projects to the community, the Center's Board of
Directors and the Center's Advisory Council. This event provides the public
with an opportunity to learn about the Center, internship and volunteer
opportunities and specific Center projects.
Leadership and Staff
2002 Board of Directors: President: Theresa Amato Vice-President: Barbara
Greenberg Secretary: Gordon Goodman Treasurer: James Ekblad
Directors: Keith Allen Brian Conlon Steve De La Rosa Dennis Hamm Patricia
Hicks Milt Honel Claire Nader Andrew Prinz Josh Silverstein
2002 Advisory Council Members: Porus Dadabhoy, John Dill, Matthew DuPree,
Gregory Fike, Robert Glogovsky, Rita Gonzalez, Myrrha Guzman, Joanna Hoelscher,
Corinne Johnson, Kate Millett, Scott Mitzner, Ellen Raymond, Eleanor Schaack,
and Jeremy Taylor.
2002 Staff: · Ms. Eddi Feret, Office Manager · Ms. Sarah Klaper, Esq.,
Community Lawyer (joined the Center staff in August 2002) · Ms. Terry
Pastika, Esq., Executive Director/Community Lawyer (January 1, 2002)
Support, Contributions and Donations
The Center is financially supported by individual donations and foundation
grants. The Center does not accept government or corporate money. Ongoing
foundation support in 2002 was provided by:
· Alphawood Foundation (formerly WPWR-TV Channel 50 Foundation) · The
John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation · The Joyce Foundation ·
The Shafeek Nader Trust for the Community Interest
Additional revenues were received from: · Individual Donations · The
Public Interest Law Initiative for a summer intern scholarship
Tax compliance services are donated by: · Ms. Kimberly Lemke and the
firm of Andrich, Argo & Associates, Ltd. CPA's
Banking services are donated by: · Cole Taylor Bank
We also thank: · Ms. Jill Dressner, Esq. for her countless hours volunteer
work and Pro Bono legal assistance · Mr. Dave Hicks for his ongoing computer
assistance in the Center's procurement project · Mr. Bijou Vayalil, Mr.
Will Conrad Sr. and Mr. Will Conrad Jr. for computer assistance
Thank you to the 2002 Summer Interns: · Mike Barranda · Nick Berg · Melissa
Burger · Will Conrad · Lisa Filippi · Joe Marzo · Shereen Mikhael · Rebecca
Parkhurst · Christopher Paluch · Allison Rieff · Jennifer Trout · Michael
Zink
Hundreds of citizens and organizations support the Center by providing
thousands of volunteer hours. We cannot recognize all of those efforts
here, however, we thank Jo and Ray Donaldson and Corinne Johnson for their
regular volunteer assistance.
The Center complies with all record-keeping and filing requirements
mandated by state and federal law. Our corporate records are available
for inspection at our office and are on file with the appropriate State
agencies. The Center does not release the names of all of our individual
donors nor do we sell our mailing list to other groups. The individuals
listed in our Annual Report have agreed to be recognized.
2003 promises to be even more exciting than 2002! If you want to get
involved with the Center's work, please ask about our Time Donor and Dollar
Donor programs. Also, consider writing an article for our Everyday Democracy
newsletter, holding a forum on a matter of public concern, adding someone
to our mailing list, or volunteering to help with data entry, web-site
development, or other office work. The Center welcomes donations of time,
energy, equipment or money. Donations to the Center are tax-deductible
as provided by law. For further information about the Center, please contact
us at: Citizen Advocacy Center 238 N. York Rd. Elmhurst, IL 60126 (630)
833-4080 (630) 833-4083 (fax) cac@citizenadvocacycenter.org (e-mail) www.citizenadvocacycenter.org
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