Since this post, we have added a whole new area of our website for the Convention click here.
Independent Texans Convention Agenda Theme: Building Cross-Partisan Coalitions Location: Bastrop Convention Center, Bastrop, Texas Date: Saturday, September 21, 2013 Time: 9 am Registration, Adjourns 9 pm
Convention Suggested Donation: $10 before September 1, $15 at the door. You can give online under the donate button on our home page, or send a check to Independent Texans, PO Box 651, Bastrop, Texas 78602.
Purpose of this event: To further coalesce a cross-partisan effort for eminent domain reform, water conservation/protection and redistricting reform; to inform citizens about the $2B Constitutional Water Amendment on the November 2013 ballot; to encourage candidates for 2014 elections (regardless of party) to run on these issues; and to provide some foundational skills for potential candidates and campaign organizers.
Please note that we have invited both Attorney General Greg Abbott, running for the Republican nomination for Governor, and Wendy Davis, who appears to be likely running to for the Democratic nomination for Governor, to come speak to us on these issues.
Caterer: Comfort Café, Continental Breakfast starts at 9 am when the hall opens, lunch will be available from 11 to 2 pm., please bring $10-12 for food.
Exhibitors: Political organizations $100, non-profits $50 information tables. Limited numbers, so these will go fast! Email or call Lea at silvernaillea@yahoo.com, 512-718-5288.
9:00 Registration
10:00 Welcome: Building Cross-Partisan Coalitions
Linda Curtis, Independent Texans
10:15 How can we tame eminent domain?
Background: All three speakers have been deeply involved in efforts to reform eminent domain laws through legislative and court action. This includes closing the “T4 loophole”, which currently allows pipeline companies to simply check a box on a Railroad Commission form and receive eminent domain power to seize your land.
Julia Trigg Crawford, NE Texas farmer fighting TransCanada Debra Medina, We Texans Rep. David Simpson (R-Longview) tentative
11:30 Proposition 6: Statewide Water Amendment, Good or Bad for Texas?
Texas Legislators who both support and oppose the amendment have been invited to come state their cases. You will be asked to cast a straw poll vote after you hear the arguments.
12:30 Lunch Break
1:00 How do we – citizens – win the Texas Water War?
Background: All three speakers have been intimately involved in a variety of efforts, both in the courts and in the legislature, seeking protection of our water resources. Michele and Malcolm will hone in on the Bastrop/Lee County groundwater war as the potential source of the next landmark cases on groundwater protection. Alyssa travels the state speaking about drought and a variety of challenges to water protection, including fracking. Her broad exposure also includes the regional clashes over the Marvin Nichols Reservoir in NE Texas.
Alyssa Burgin, Texas Drought Project, Drought & the Fracking/Water Debate Michele Gangnes, Esq., The Lost Pines Water War Malcolm Harris, Esq., Wimberley Valley Watershed Association
2:15 Disarming Politicians…of their redistricting pens.
Those who led the campaign for passage of the first independent citizens redistricting commission passed in the state of Texas! (City of Austin, November 2012)
3:00 Breakout Sessions
These sessions will be one hour and will be run twice between 3 and 5 pm.
• How to organize a public hearing on eminent domain, public safety and water protection in your community. Linda Curtis, Independent Texans • Groundwater & Surface Water 101. Steve Box, Environmental Stewardship, Phil Cook, Sierra Club • Making Growth Pay for Itself. CostofGrowth.com • The Fracking and Water Debate. TBA • One Day Petition Drives to Change Your City Charters: Barry Klein, Houston Property Rights Association • Eminent Domain Reform – really. Calvin Tilman, former mayor of DISH, Texas • Gerrymandering, the documentary. • So they contaminated your water. Case Study of Galveston. Texans Together
5:00 – 6:30 Celebration/Dinner/Mingling
6:30 — 8:30 Campaign Mega-Workshop
Are you considering running for office or trying to persuade others to do so? Do you want to build a cross-partisan effort in your community? Want to get a bill passed in the next legislative session? This is a joint session. It’s all done at the same time – by people with experience, soon to be announced.
• How to get the press to pay attention. • Running an issue or candidate campaign – the basics. • Fundraising and the campaign finance laws. • Know thy enemy: Opposition Research. • Citizen Lobbying the Legislature. • Internet tools, even for baby boomers.
Please note that the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance Conference is starts the day after this event in the same facility! We hope you will consider staying over and attending this great conference, especially you farmers and ranchers. Click here for more information.
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