Local leaders
SamTV reports from the Sammies
On December 20th, 2007 the Sam Adams Alliance & Foundation awarded our inaugural Sammie awards. Winners from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Washington won $5,000 and $10,000 cash prizes for their work in advancing government accountability and transparency. Watch this SamTV report for more!
Cultivating the grassroots: the Taxpayers League of Minnesota
Should taxpayers be expected to foot the bill for professional sports teams? While some diehard fans may say yes, most people see taxpayer-funded sports as a waste of their money. It's lucky for taxpayers, then, that groups like the Taxpayers League of Minnesota exist to monitor government waste and mobilize like-minded individuals and resources to fight against it.
The Sammies--our contest for outstanding citizen leadership and creativity--is accepting entries. If you're a local-issue blogger, short filmmaker, open records champion or Modern-Day Sam Adams (or know anyone who is) then you'll want to send us your best for a chance to win $5,000 or $10,000 in cash...not to mention a a sweet, gold-painted Sam Adams bobblehead.
It all started when Charles Moran received a phone call from a friend.
She explained to him how her plans to build a modest expansion onto her home and add a sandbox and swing for the kids had run up against a wall-a $40,000 wall of government rules and regulations. The incident prompted Moran to organize local citizens in support of a ballot initiative that would eventually restore the property rights of residents of Brighton Township, Michigan, and curtail a local government that has gone too far.
Protecting Property Rights in California
For far too long, municipal governments have gotten away with trampling on private property rights by abusing the power of eminent domain. For a while, it looked like the same sad story would be repeated in National City, California, a predominantly Hispanic-American suburb of San Diego. But thanks to Jeff Rowes and the Institute for Justice, it seems this tale may have a much happier ending.
TrinityVote: Giving Voters A Say In Dallas
When Dallas residents voted in 1998 on a referendum to improve the city's riverfront, they thought they knew what they were getting into: a new park system along the Trinity River. But nine years later, there's still no park and residents are getting a lot more than they bargained for-including a government-sponsored campaign to block the voice of the people.
The Right to Know: Jan Murphy's Fight for Good Government In Pennsylvania
The average debt for a student graduating from college is about $20,000. How, then, did the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), which awards scholarships to Pennsylvania students pursuing higher education, justify spending over $800,000 on trips and spa retreats for employees? Well, they didn't. The PHEAA concealed all of the records detailing the receipts and costs of these trips and sent the bill to unknowing Pennsylvania taxpayers.
Sam In The News: John Stossel Highlights Arlington Heights Victory
"Opponents of eminent domain finally have something to celebrate. After a public campaign, Target Corp. has decided not to build a store on condemned property in Arlington Heights, Ill.,"writes acclaimed journalist John Stossel in an article highlighting the victory and the Sam Adams Alliance.
Defending Connecticut Taxpayers: Susan Kniep
For Connecticut taxpayers, life is rough. Just ask Susan Kniep, president of the Federation of Connecticut Taxpayer Organizations (FCTO).
The Importance of Having Persistence: Chetly Zarko's Fight for Educational Transparency
Should taxpayers know what public employees are doing with their money? Chetly Zarko, a Michigan resident and government transparency specialist, thinks it's a pretty obvious answer--"Yes." But when Zarko began requesting public records from the local teachers' union, he found out that things aren't always so simple. The Michigan Education Association, it turns out, likes to keep certain things under wraps.
Major Property Rights Victory in Missouri
Thanks to the tenacity of Homer Tourkakis, Missouri property owners have a major victory on their side in the battle against eminent domain abuse.
Shining a spotlight on Texas School Systems: Peyton Wolcott
When Peyton Wolcott began volunteering at her daughter's high school in Horseshoe Bay, Texas she found it odd that her daughter had to raise money for her choir gown even though the school set aside money for costumes and uniforms. So Wolcott filed her first Texas Public Information Act request--and now, after years of steadfast devotion, she has become one of Texas's foremost champions of government accountability and transparency.
Fighting for Justice in St. Louis: Jim Roos
Jim Roos, 63, has long been concerned with issues of justice. So when the St. Louis city government snatched a whopping 24 of his real estate company's properties to put up quarter-million-dollar homes in their place, he decided to roll up his sleeves and fight back.
Bringing "Excellent Education for Everyone" to New Jersey: Dan Gaby
If you’ve ever played Monopoly, you know just how easy it is to rake in that pastel-colored cash when you control large swaths of the board. If your competitors have no choice but to land on your properties, you can force them, under the rules, to pay large sums of money—and, frequently, send them right to the poor house and straight out of the game.
Keeping an eye on local government: Harold Hamilton, Anoka County, Minnesota
Harold Hamilton of Anoka County, MN, initially formed his website out of frustration with the local government. Nearly two years later, his site, the Anoka County Watchdog, has already made a real impact in holding the local government accountable to the taxpayers.
Helping Government Officials Face the Music: Colorado's Face the State
Face the State, a new political website, didn’t take long to jump into the spotlight. Within a week of its launch, the Colorado-based site unearthed a typo-filled e-mail from State Rep. Mike Merrifield, an elected official and school choice opponent, where he said that those in favor of charter schools “deserve a special place in hell.”
Lifting the Lid off of Pennsylvania Government
Jamie Blaine, a former US Army Staff Sergeant, teacher and newspaper publisher from Avondale, Pennsylvania, had done a lot of things before this past April—but blogging wasn’t one of them. That was before he launched PassOpenRecords.org, a new website advocating for more open, transparent government.
500 citizens storm capitol for tax rally
When 500 Michigan taxpayers stormed the capitol with an anti-tax rally, it was Leon Drolet leading the efforts to get the word out and unite like-minded citizens and groups.
As it turns out, he’s just getting started.
It looks like citizens of Milwaukee, Wisconsin have a good chance of stopping a fat pay raise of the sort that politicians love to give themselves.
When is a non-profit energy company set up to save taxpayers money not non-profit and not saving taxpayers money? Short answer: when it’s the Illinois Energy Consortium.
Bloggers Take Action for Accountable Government
It looks like Todd Rowden isn’t the only one who has reached his “Popeye moment”—several Illinois bloggers are also taking action to publicize the situation that Rowden uncovered involving millions of taxpayer dollars and the public school system.
Reaching the "Popeye" Moment: Todd Rowden
Todd Rowden calls his recent involvement in unveiling and fighting a scheme involving millions of taxpayer dollars and the public school system his “Popeye” moment. Rowden, an Illinois attorney, elaborates: Popeye, after being taunted mercilessly by his arch-enemy Brutus, utters those iconic lines, “I can’t stands it no more.”
Local Action...National Impact
Think you can’t fight city hall? Think again. Meet a modern-day Sam Adams who stood up and took action. Read more...
