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Read the amended complaint
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If you get a ballot, thank a plaintiff
Had we not gone to court, the election would have ended with 25 percent or so of staff and an unknown number of listener members prevented from voting.
The people who screwed up the distribution of ballots claim that they were dealing with that problem by "extending the election" one week. But that's not true.
The fact is, most replacement ballots were not mailed to voters till the end of the "EXTENDED" period (when it was too late to vote), and what's more, some voters STILL have not received replacements they asked for (some asked multiple times).
Besides, the ByLaws do not allow an extension unless there is a demonstrated lack of a quorum, which has not been done.
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The key election issue
The key issue in this Local Station Board (LSB) election is simple: WBAI is in really bad shape, and the current LSB has done nothing about it. They fiddle while WBAI burns.
The symptoms of the station's crisis are obvious:
- Membership has fallen from over 20,000 to 15,500 from Fall 2004 to fall 2007, even as we spend three months a year asking people to subscribe.
- The station has run annual deficits of $100,000 or more for several years. WBAI was functionally bankrupt as of October 2006 - liabilities exceeded assets - according to Pacifica's independent audits.
- WBAI has fallen in debt to Pacifica National by over $250,000
- WBAI laid off staff two years ago and will have to cut pay or lay off more staff in the near future.
Voters should understand that a good LSB has the authority under the bylaws to help the station greatly. All that is necessary is people who want to do the job of the LSB. But the current LSB, dominated by so-called "Justice and Unity" for the past three years, has not used its governance powers to address the station's crisis. Just the opposite - the JU LSB has eschewed its responsibilities for political ends.
Here are some recent examples of the LSB's failure under "Justice and Unity" control (links to come):
- The General manager search charade
- "Evaluation" of the Program Director
- How not to do financial oversight
- Programming? What's that?
- Informing the public about what the LSB is doing
- Not ensuring diversity at WBAI
- You call this a town hall meeting?
- Your mysterious LSB
- No compromise at all
- The old new building
It's a sad record. Check out the statements of the independents (above left) to see how the non-JU candidates plan to turn the LSB into a body that actually achieves something.
In these days of creeping fascism, war, exhaustion of the earth, and corporate media consolidation, we need a healthy WBAI more than ever. Please vote for the independent candidates to ensure WBAI thrives. Justice and Unity has had three years to show what they can do. That's enough.
It's time for a change!
Remember, when you vote, rank ONLY Independent candidates. Do NOT rank anyone from "Justice and Unity." This will ensure your entire vote will go to the independents.
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