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2003 was the Citizen Advocacy Center's 9th year as an institution dedicated
to building democracy for the 21st Century throughout the western suburbs
of Chicago. Our staff and volunteers 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. Materials and knowledge
provided by the Center helped individuals and community groups to participate
in the public life of their communities. Center staff continued to focus
on four major initiatives in the year 2003:
Public Education and Capacity Building
The Citizen Advocacy Center is a resource for civic information. In
2003 our community lawyers empowered citizens to create active, vibrant
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 enabled citizen participation in local affairs, regardless
of the subject matter or the point of view of those making the inquiry.
Center community lawyers, voluntary community lawyers
and interns answered more than 250 questions from concerned citizens
on public interest topics such as:
- How does a city extend a tax increment financing district?
- Can a public body limit what a person says during public comment?
- Does a group always have to get a permit to hold a rally?
- What is a SLAPP suit?
- What information can the public obtain under the Freedom of Information
Act?
The Center receives national recognition for building
democracy.
Over the past nine years, the Center has been recognized regionally
and nationally. 2003 was no exception. The Center's Executive Director
was one of only three young people recognized by the national non-profit
OMB Watch in Washington D.C. and received a Public Interest Rising Star
Award for her outstanding work building citizen participation and pursuing
social justice.
The Center hosted, planned, spoke at or participated
in presentations to civic groups and schools across Chicagoland. The
following list of activities does not include the Center's regular participation
in public body meetings:
January
- Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago) (January 7)
- Preserve Elmhurst Vigil (Elmhurst) (January 13)
- Concerned Citizens of Downers Grove (Downers Grove) (January 21)
- Civil Liberties Coalition Meeting (Chicago) (January 27)
- NBC - Dave Savini Interview regarding Illinois State Toll Highway
Authority (January 27)
February
- Concerned Citizens of Downers Grove (Downers Grove) (February 4)
- Pat Quinn Press Conference (Chicago) (February 5)
- Center for Independent Living Democracy Workshop (Glen Ellyn) (February
12)
- Campaign Finance Reform (Chicago) (February 13)
- TV Turn-off Week (Elmhurst) (February 13)
- Midwest Public Interest Career Fair (Chicago) (February 15)
- University of Illinois Law School Public Interest Career Panel (Champaign)
(February 17)
- TV Turnoff Week (Elmhurst) (February 17)
- Center Evening Program - Historic Preservation (Elmhurst) (February
19)
- Democracy in Action Seminar (Elmhurst) (February 20)
- Affordable Housing Meeting (Elmhurst) (February 25)
- Oakton Community College - Civic Empowerment Class (Skokie) (February
26)
March
- Common Sense Radio Program (Aurora) (March 3)
- PanCan (Elmhurst) (March 19)
- No Tolls, Inc. (Elmhurst) (March 27)
- DuPage NAACP (Lisle) (March 29)
April
- Azerbaijan Visitors (Elmhurst) (April 2) DuPage United (Lisle) (April
6)
- No Tolls, Inc. (Elmhurst) (April 17)
- Tollway Accountability Campaign (Chicago) (April 22)
- Center Procurement Meeting (Elmhurst) (April 23)
- Center for Independent Living (Glen Ellyn) (April 23)
- University of Chicago Nonprofit Job Fair (Chicago) (April 23)
- · Northern Illinois Student Education Association (DeKalb) (April
26)
- Senior Health and Safety Fair (Elmhurst) (April 30)
May
- DuPage United Workshop (Glen Ellyn) (May 6)
- Democracy in Action (Elmhurst) (May 7)
- Character Counts! (Elmhurst) (May 7)
- Indian Plains High School (Naperville) (May 9) · DuPage United (Glen
Ellyn) (May 13)
- Glenbard East High School (Lombard) (May 14) · League of Women Voters
(Elmhurst) (May 15)
- PanCan (Elmhurst) (May 15)
- Muslim Center for Civil Rights (Elmhurst) (May 15)
- Downers Grove South High School (Downers Grove) (May 20)
- Hinsdale Central High School (Hinsdale) (May 21)
- Ethics Reform Coalition (Chicago) (May 28)
- Center Procurement Presentation (Elmhurst) (May 28)
June
- Bolingbrook Mothers' Group (Elmhurst) (June 5)
- Ninth Anniversary Party (Elmhurst) (June 6) · No Tolls, Inc. (Elmhurst)
(June 10)
- Character Counts! (Elmhurst) (June 11)
- Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (Downers Grove) (June 12)
- Character Counts! (Elmhurst) (June 18)
- Center Evening Program - Water Commission (Elmhurst) (June 24)
- Illinois State Toll Highway Authority - Public Comment (Downers Grove)
(June 26)
July
- Character Counts! (Elmhurst) (July 2)
- Midwest Democracy Center (Elmhurst) (July 7)
- NITC Transportation Meeting (Glen Ellyn) (July 8)
- Evening Program - Federal Communications Commission (Elmhurst) (July
10)
- Intern Democracy Day (Elmhurst) (July 23)
- Center Democracy Canvass (Elmhurst, Downers Grove, Bensenville) (July
26)
August
- Center Evening Program - Predatory Lending (Elmhurst) (August 6)
- Chicago Tribune News and Education Fair (Chicago) (August 8)
- DuPage Peace Through Justice (Lombard) (August 10)
- No Tolls, Inc. (Elmhurst) (August 19) · DuPage County Home Rule Public
Hearing (Glendale Heights) (August 20)
- Indian Plains High School (Naperville) (August 25)
- Immigration Rights Public Hearing (Elmhurst) (August 26)
- Center Evening Program - Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (Elmhurst)
(August 27)
September
- Center Evening Program - Immigrant Civil Liberties (Elmhurst) (September
3)
- IEA/NEA Retirement Group (Lombard) (September 4)
- Indian Plains High School (Naperville) (September 8)
- Bolingbrook Mothers' Group (Bolingbrook) (September 12)
- League of Women Voters - FOIA Workshop (Chicago) (September 13)
- Center Evening Program - Cumulative Voting (Elmhurst) (September
15)
- Indian Plains High School Delegation Meeting (Naperville) (September
17)
- Center Evening Program - Identity Theft (Elmhurst) (September 17)
- Indian Plains High School Delegation Meeting (Naperville) (September
19)
- Chicago Better Broadcast Accountability Coalition (Chicago) (September
19)
- Democracy Workshop (Richmond) (September 24)
October
- No Tolls, Inc. (Elmhurst) (October 1)
- PanCan (Elmhurst) (October 1)
- Medinah Homeowners Association (Medinah) (October 2)
- Public Interest Career Fair (Chicago) (October 8)
- OMB Watch Public Interest Awards (Washington, DC) (October 9)
- DuPage Community Foundation Grant Award Breakfast (Glen Ellyn) (October
15)
- Citizen Training Corps (Elmhurst) (October 20)
- Citizen Training Corps (Elmhurst) (October 21)
- · Elmhurst College - Environmental Management Services Class (Elmhurst)
(October 21)
- PanCan (Elmhurst) (October 23)
- · Equal Justice Works Public Interest Career Fair (Washington, DC)
(October 23)
- Downers Grove South High School Constitution Day (Downers Grove)
(October 27)
- Center Evening Program - Broadcasters and the Public Interest (Elmhurst)
(October 28)
- Sandburg Middle School (Elmhurst) (October 29)
- Oakton Community College Tools of Civic Engagement Class (Des Plaines)
(October 29)
- Sandburg Middle School (Elmhurst) (October 30)
November
- Nippersink Public Library Citizen Training Corps (Richmond) (November
3)
- Glen Ellyn Lions Club - Identity Theft (Glen Ellyn) (November 4)
- Sandburg Middle School (Elmhurst) (November 5)
- Sandburg Middle School (Elmhurst) (November 6)
- DuPage Center for Independent Living (Glen Ellyn) (November 8)
- Nippersink Public Library Citizen Training Corps (Richmond) (November
10)
- Northwestern University Law School Government Accountability Panel
(Chicago) (November 11)
- Downers Grove Township Democrats (Downers Grove) (November 12)
- Ethics Reform Press Conference (Springfield) (November 17)
- PanCan (Elmhurst) (November 20)
December
- Citizen Initiative Awards/Holiday Cheer Party (Elmhurst) (December
2)
- Courtney Language Arts Academy (Chicago) (December 3)
The Center introduced the concept of community
lawyering and advocacy to future lawyers at the following career fairs:
- Midwest Public Interest Career Fair
- University of Illinois Law School Public Interest Career Panel
- University of Chicago Nonprofit Fair
- Chicago Public Interest Career Fair
- Equal Justice Works Public Interest Career Fair
In 2003, the Center launched a youth civic education
program, the Civic Empowerment Zone.
The Civic Empowerment Zone is a hands- on civic education program
that helps youth transform their communities into "civic labs" and
teaches youth what it means to be a "good citizen" in practice. The
Civic Empowerment Zone provides innovative resources to help teachers
integrate hands-on civic activities into current curriculum, while
meeting Illinois State Standards and Goals. In 2003, Center representatives
visited with more than 800 youth from the following schools to discuss
civic engagement:
- Oakton Community College
- Indian Plains High School
- Downers Grove South High School
- Courtney Language Arts Academy
- Glenbard East High School
- Hinsdale Central High School
- Sandburg Middle School
Center representatives participated in the following
conventions and talked with more than 500 educators about the Civic
Empowerment Zone program:
- National Education Association/ Illinois Education Association Student
Teacher Conference
- Chicago Tribune News and Education Fair
- Northern Illinois Student Teacher Conference
- National Education Association/ Illinois Education Association Teacher
Conference
Citizen Advocacy Center Student Internships
With the oversight of community lawyers, student interns worked on
projects such as surveying how many Freedom of Information Act requests
municipalities receive annually, analyzing intergovernmental agreements
between the DuPage Water Commission and DuPage County, and facilitating
community presentations. Students from the following schools were
2003 Center interns:
- Indiana University School of Law
- Millikin University
- Syracuse University College of Law
- University of Wisconsin Law School
- University of Wisconsin
- Vermont Law School
- University of Georgia Law School
Summer interns created or updated the following
free informational brochures:
- Guide to Home Rule
- Guide to Referendums
- A Guide to the Illinois Open Meetings Act
These brochures as well as more than 15 others are available on the
Center's website www.citizenadvocacycenter.org
The Citizen Advocacy Center continued
to hold our locally and nationally recognized Citizen Training Corps
seminar where participants learned:
- Who representatives are at every level of government and how to write
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; and
- Using civic tools to promote a cause.
The Open Forum
The Center is the home of the Open Forum. Open Forums are programs
sponsored by the Center to stimulate community discussion and awareness
on issues of public significance. The Center hosted the following
programs:
- Shaping Communities: Historic Preservation
- Procurement Project
- The DuPage Water Commission Compromise: What Does it Mean for You?
- Do New FCC Media Ownership Hinder Democracy?
- Blood, Sharks, and Tears: How Not to be a Victim of Predatory Lending
- Illinois State Toll Highway Authority - Scofflaws and Toll Enforcement
- Immigrant Rights: Going Beyond the Citizenship Test
- Cumulative Voting Rights
- Privacy Rights - Protecting Your Financial Privacy
- Our Airwaves: Broadcasters & the Public Interest
Everyday Democracy
The Center published four issues of our newsletter, Everyday Democracy,
during 2003. Citizens, student interns, and community lawyers contributed
editorial content. Newsletters published since 1999 are posted on
the Center's website, www.citizenadvocacycenter.org.
Winter Articles:
- "Preserving History and Shaping Communities: Historic Preservation"
- "Tools for Civic Empowerment, Oakton Community College"
- "Democracy in Action Free Seminars"
- "Why Should I Become a CAC Member?" · "Citizen Initiative Awards
- 2002 Recipients" · "Democracy Watch"
- "Teaching Students to Practice Daily Democracy"
Spring Articles:
- "Center Releases Analysis of DuPage County Procurement and Free Resources
to Monitor Campaign Contributions to Local Public Officials"
- "'A' is for Accessibility and Accountability"
- "Free Resources Available Only From the Citizen Advocacy Center"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center Condolences"
- "Center Calendar of Events" · "Citizen Advocacy Center Membership"
- "Center Recommendations for Reform of DuPage County Procurement Policies"
- · "Campaign Contributions from DuPage County Vendors to Public Officials
in DuPage County on the Rise" Summer Articles:
- "DuPage County Board Chairman vs. DuPage County Mayors"
- "New Media Ownership Rules Impacting Local Democracy"
- · "Teaching Citizens to Fish" · "The Freedom of Speech"
- "A New Consumer-Friendly Face? The Toll Authority"
- "Practicing Daily Democracy"
- "The Civic Empowerment Zone"
- "Lights, Camera, Action!" · "Center Calendar of Events"
- "Center Lawsuit Against DuPage County Board for Violation of the Open
Meetings Act"
Fall Articles:
- "To Home Rule, Or Not To Home Rule: That Is A Question for DuPage
County Residents"
- "A Primer on Home Rule"
- "The Citizen Initiative Awards: Nominate Someone Today"
- "Holiday Cheer Party & Citizen Initiative Awards"
- "TV Broadcasters and the Public Interest" · "Cumulative Voting and
County Boards"
- "Citizen Advocacy Center Executive Director Receives National Public
Interest Award"
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:
The DuPage County Procurement Project
After more than two years of litigation against DuPage County for
financial and contract records, and the merger of more than 45,000
public records, the Center succeeded in providing valuable resources
to monitor DuPage County contracting and to hold public officials
accountable that were previously unavailable to the public.
Free public resources created by the Center include:
- A web-based, searchable campaign contribution database with 30,000
campaign contribution records for 71 public officials from DuPage County;
A DuPage County vendor database detailing 15,000 DuPage County vendors
and the total revenues received from the County annually;
DuPage County vendor/contributor databases detailing which vendors
contribute to which public officials and the amount of contributions;
and
- A series of DuPage County procurement brochures that make County
contracting easy to understand and include recommendations for reform
of DuPage County procurement.
The Procurement Project documented the more than 250% increase in
campaign contributions from DuPage County contractors to public officials
in DuPage County between 1990 - 2002. The Procurement Project also
highlighted the transparency, accessibility and accountability flaws
in the current DuPage County procurement code and made reasonable
recommendations for reform. The Center's project was recognized regionally
in DuPage County when the Center appeared on the cover of the DuPage
County Bar Journal and a lead article analyzing the DuPage County
procurement process and making recommendations for reform.
The Center held Evening Programs to educate citizens about free
resources and to demystify County procurement. Local community groups
praised the Center for providing the public with detailed DuPage County
procurement and campaign contributions information that is easily
accessible to all members of the public
The First Amendment and Naperville Park District
A local community group requested a permit to hold a Peace Poetry
Gathering in a Naperville public park. The permit was denied based
on the content of the poetry to be read. The Center challenged the
permit denial based on the First Amendment. The Center's involvement
led to the revision of the Naperville Park District permitting requirements.
Litigation and Issue Advocacy
The Center researched and raised citizen awareness on many issues
of public significance in 2003 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.
Open Meetings Act Litigation
The Citizen Advocacy Center filed a lawsuit against the DuPage County
Board for violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act. A resolution
changing DuPage County's policy for the last three decades regarding
O'Hare expansion was spontaneously introduced and called for a Board
vote. The item was not listed on the agenda and some County Board
members were unaware that the resolution was an item to be discussed
at the meeting, much less voted on. Regardless, the County Board voted
on the resolution. The Center filed a lawsuit claiming that the lack
of public notice regarding an item on which the County Board took
a final vote violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act and effectively
shut the public out of any opportunity for meaningful participation.
Ethics Reform Coalition
The Center has been a member of the Illinois Ethics Reform Project
for more than five years. More than 20 organizations have worked tirelessly
to promote an open, accessible and accountable system of government.
The coalition won a victory for all citizens in Illinois when the
General Assembly passed a comprehensive ethics reform bill in fall
of 2003. This is a first step in reforming public confidence in a
broken political system that has tolerated public official corruption.
Privacy Rights
The Center held five privacy rights and identity theft seminars teaching
consumers how to protect their personal information, how to use "opt-out"
provisions, how to read privacy statements and how to be an advocate
for stronger consumer privacy protections.
Reform of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
The Center is a pivotal voice in holding the Illinois State Toll
Highway Authority (ISTHA) accountable. In 2003, the ISTHA implemented
a toll violation enforcement program that sent notices for alleged
toll evasions reaching back as far as two years old and totaling as
much as $10,000 for an individual motorist. Moreover, the ISTHA refused
to provide motorists with access to all the records documenting toll
evasions and to provide any kind of payment plan. The Center was pivotal
in organizing concerned citizens. Legislation was introduced providing
an amnesty period for alleged toll violators and the ISTHA implemented
a payment plan.
Building Institutions and Community Resources
The Center fostered civic discourse in the community and helped individuals
and local community groups by participating in local events and by
providing technical assistance and guest speakers. In 2003, the Center
continued to aid citizens in promoting systemic change and recognized
the contributions of others.
Community Resources
Everyday Democracy Cable Access Program
The Center launched a new cable access program that explores community
issues and airs Democracy Workshops. The Center has produced three
shows:
- The DuPage Water Commission Compromise
- CAC Summer Interns Building Democracy
- Do New Federal Communication Commission Rules Hinder Democracy Workshops
- Local Civic Involvement: The DuPage Peace Through Justice Group
Free Meeting Space
The Center provided free meeting space to community groups to hold
meetings and town hall forums. No Tolls and the Pancreatic Cancer
Awareness Organization of Illinois met at the Center 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. Visitors from Azerbaijan
met with staff and volunteers to consult on a broad range of subjects
such as media relations, grassroots organizing, and effective coalition
building.
Building Institutions
Ninth Anniversary Celebration
April 13th marked the Center's Ninth Anniversary. Center supporters
gathered for the celebration along with our special guests, former
intern and violinist, Ms. Navreet Kaur Heneghan and Social Poet, James
McGrew.
Citizen Initiative Awards
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 2003 recipients
were: The Elmhurst Orange Ribbon Committee (Elmhurst) for their grassroots
organizing campaign to preserve Elmhurst's small town character from
over development and the Indian Plains High School (Aurora) for their
commitment to teaching students how to be informed, active and effective
community participants.
Democracy Day
Annually, summer interns host a program presenting their specific summer
projects to the community, our Board of Directors and our Advisory Council.
Leadership and Staff
- 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
The Board of Directors meets quarterly.
2003 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.
The Center's Advisory Council meets semi-annually.
2003 Staff:
- Mrs. Eddi Feret, Office Manager
- Ms. Sarah Klaper, Esq., Community Lawyer
- Ms. Terry Pastika, Esq., Executive Director/Community Lawyer
Support, Contributions and Donations
The Center is financially supported by individual donations and foundation
grants. The Center does not accept government or corporate money.
Foundation support in 2003 was provided by:
- Aberdeen Foundation
- Alphawood Foundation
- Citizen Works
- The Bryd Foundation
- The DuPage Community Foundation
- The Joyce Foundation
- The NFOIC Coalition
- The McCormick Tribune Foundation
- The Shafeek Nader Trust for the Community Interest
- Stupski Family Fund
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 hundreds of hours of Pro Bono work
- Mr. Dave Hicks for his ongoing computer assistance in the Center's
procurement project
- Mr. Zach Loeber for his computer services
- Mr. Chris Paluch, Esq. for his daily Pro Bono legal assistance
Thank you to the 2003 Summer Interns:
- Neeta Boddapati
- Joo-Young Chung
- Megan Counts
- Sejal Gandhi
- Debra Kaplan
- Kathryn Klemesud
- Benjamin Makin
- Reza Noorani
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 Corinne Johnson and Jerry Miller 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.
2004 promises to be even more exciting than 2003!
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)
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