Jeff DeMello Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 If you live in California ... read http://calcharities.org/sb1369.htm We have the most significant threat to our charitable fundraising efforts to date. It is SB1369. It is on a FAST Track and we have been told it is going to pass. WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY!! http://info.sen.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?b...=B&site=sen SB1369 if passed will destroy charitable bingo as we currently know it. It is a special interest bill being pushed by the gaming tribes in the State, Catholic Church, Elks Club and the California Association of Nonprofit. California Association of Nonprofit (CANP) has supported this without any conversations with most if not all charitable bingo games. The claim to represent nonprofit and they DO NOT. They have obviously have decided to support only few powerful charities while helping to devastate the majority of community based long running nonprofits. This bill started out as a bill addressing student lunches and was gutted Monday to allow something they are calling “remote caller bingo”. This would allow certain organizations to link their statewide facilities together via satellite, cable, internet, etc. to play games with jackpots reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars. This in essence would only make this possible for churches and clubs and other bingo games could NOT participate because you would have to be under one charter to take advantage of remote calling. The rest of the bingo halls, such as The Blue Devils and hundreds of others existing bingo halls across the State would not be allowed to use this technology and therefore would be run out of business quickly. The tribes are supporting the bill because it also does away with all electronic bingo currently being used in the charitable halls. To give some perspective, Thunder Valley nets a million dollars a day, and a bingo hall on Florin Road Bingo distributed 1.5 million dollars for all of last year! We are not a threat to the tribes and yet they want more and more. We support Indian self reliance but why do they want to put out GREAT hard working charities out of business. What is fair about any of this. Who will replace the revenue we distribute to local charities? Unfortunately the answer is no one. So this is a double hit for all charities. Electronic bingo will be outlawed and now the traditional paper bingo game will NOW be threatened by MEGA bingo games from the Catholic Church and Elks clubs. And fraudulently being reported by the California Association of Nonprofit as good for all charities. IT IS NOT!!! One last thing, don’t believe the stories you are hearing in the media right now about SB1369. They are being paid for by the same group trying to push through the bill. All we are asking for is a delay until the next legislative session to give time for all sides to work something out that doesn’t cripple some charities for the sake of others. This bill will be heard any day. PLEASE pick up the phone and call anyone you know in the legislature and demand a no vote on this destructive bill. Here are a few names and faxes. Please call or fax. Email is not being effective. I would also FAX ALL California State senators and specially call and fax your local senator and assembly person. PLEASE FORWARD this email on to ALL you know. ANYONE in California that supports charities and The Blue Devils! Darrell Steinbery -- President of Senate Fax: (916) 323-2263 State Capitol, Room 4035 Sacramento, CA 95814 Karen Bass - Speaker of the House P.O. Box 942849 Sacramento, CA 94249-0047 Tel: (916) 319-2047 Fax: (916) 319-2147 Blue Devils Representatives Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier Cheif of Staff -- Christine 916-319-2011 Senator Tom Torlekson Cheird of Staff -- Richard 916-651-4007 Assembly Governmental Organization Committee. Members are: Curren Price, Chair--916.319.2151 George Plescia, Vice Chair--916.319.2175 Charles Calderon--916.319.2158 Mike Davis--916.319.2148 Kevin De Leon--916.319.2145 Noreen Evans--916.319.2107 Bonnie Garcia--916.319.2180 Kevin Jeffries--916.319.2166 Lloyd Levine--916.319.2140 Tony Mendoza--916.319.2156 Anthony Portantino--916.319.2144 Jim Silva--916.319.2167 Nell Soto--916.319.2161 Alberto Torrico--916.319.2120 Van Tran--916.319.2168 Senate Government Organization Committee members listed below: Dean Florez, Chair--916.327.5989 fax Jim Battin--916.327.2187 Jeff Denham--916.445.0773 Tom Harmon--916.445.9263 Gloria Negrete McLeod--916.445.0128 Alex Padilla--916.324.6645 Ed Vincent--916.445.3712 Patricia Wiggins--916.323.6958 Mark Wyland--916.446.7382 Leland Yee--916.327.2186 California Association of Nonprofits Ken Larsen Public Policy Director (916) 402-1335, ext. 204 klarsen@CAnonprofits.org Alan Strand Interim Executive Director (213) 347-2070, ext. 206 astrand@CAnonprofits.org Thank you for supporting the 50 years of The Blue Devils. Here is hoping for 50 more. PLEASE help us know!! TODAY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noname Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Knowing California law I'm sure it will come into complete effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User412 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 (edited) I do wish you well in this. However I wanted to point out that everyone you listed as backing the bill is an organization, except the Catholic Church (at least not in the same sense as the others listed), which is a religion. If a group of Catholics support the bill, or if the Arch Diocese itself does, you might want to insert that group instead of the religion. Just my nitpicking. Are you sure BD cannot work with this? Either way, I wish you luck! Edited August 21, 2008 by User412 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Please rate this thread!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff DeMello Posted August 21, 2008 Author Share Posted August 21, 2008 In case you need a form letter, here's what I sent: -------------------------------------------------------- August 20, 2008 Leland Yee Senate Government Organization Committee Re: Senate Bill 1369 – OPPOSE My name is Jeff DeMello. I am the Secretary of the Board of Directors, and an alumnus, of The Blue Devils (www.bluedevils.org) from Concord, California. We are a non-profit youth organization that relies heavily on our charity bingo profits to fund our numerous educational activities and programs. We service more than 600 young people in our area annually, and have involved over 10,000 youth during the course of our 50-year history in Concord. I am writing to you today to STRONGLY OPPOSE SB SB1369. This bill will seriously threaten our charitable fundraising efforts and hence, our very existence. It will also negatively impact the many other charity bingo games in the area. Many great activities for youth in our area—including band programs, sports programs, performing arts programs and support for the underprivileged and disabled—do not receive funding from the government but are instead funded by these charity bingo games. SB1328 is an attempt by a bingo vendor and a very few and select charities with multiple locations across the state to reap high rewards. Meanwhile, many, many smaller bingo charities would not be able to compete and would lose a valuable source of support. This bill would eliminate all forms of electronic bingo as well as put all bingo games who play on paper at a huge disadvantage against the very few who have multiple locations. There are solutions to all the issues regarding bingo. Please do not rush into a devastating decision and put great charities out of business. Do not be fooled that groups like California Association of Nonprofits and Charity First represent all non-profits. They do not. In fact they have NEVER even contacted most charitable bingos games in the state. Please let The Blue Devils have another 50 years of serving youth in California. I urge a no vote on SB1369. Then lets all work together for a solution. Sincerely, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIHasBeen Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 Thanks, Jeff ... I'll start cranking out a few faxes based on your letter. This is vital to ALL drum corps in California, and it's vital we all do what we can to help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Slocum Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 You can write to ALL representatives with ONE CLICK: http://capwiz.com/thehill/home/ Enter your zip code, then under Write Your Elected Officials, select State. Follow the screens, copy/paste/modify the letter posted above, and CLICK. This does work... I've written our local representative and received personalized emails back from them. I think the Bingo issue is already pretty much dead, with the increased enforcement of the ban against automated machines other than in Indian gaming halls, but it's worth writing to see if you can make a difference on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User412 Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 You can write to ALL representatives with ONE CLICK:http://capwiz.com/thehill/home/ Enter your zip code, then under Write Your Elected Officials, select State. Follow the screens, copy/paste/modify the letter posted above, and CLICK. This does work... I've written our local representative and received personalized emails back from them. I think the Bingo issue is already pretty much dead, with the increased enforcement of the ban against automated machines other than in Indian gaming halls, but it's worth writing to see if you can make a difference on this one. State level government is usually pretty responsive to individual communication. If you have the time I recommend doing whatever you can to make this a personal note. A form letter works if you don't have time, but they are easier to dismiss. The calling or writing (maybe see them in person if you live near capital) has a lasting image. Remember to hit up the reps from slower districts. And newer reps. Most important, make sure you emphasize why this bill is not as good as they have heard. They might be accepting what they hear as the way it is and not realize the situation. That is the number one point to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda Slocum Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 State level government is usually pretty responsive to individual communication. If you have the time I recommend doing whatever you can to make this a personal note. A form letter works if you don't have time, but they are easier to dismiss. The calling or writing (maybe see them in person if you live near capital) has a lasting image.Remember to hit up the reps from slower districts. And newer reps. Most important, make sure you emphasize why this bill is not as good as they have heard. They might be accepting what they hear as the way it is and not realize the situation. That is the number one point to make. You don't need to reinvent the wheel... just take the letter provided and personalize it. I've used this before with preformatted letters that I modified a bit, and it does get a response. The key is QUANTITY, not quality. They need to get a lot of emails from a lot of constituents with the same topic before they'll listen. Here's what I sent: My name is Linda Slocum. I am the parent of a member of a World Class drum and bugle corps (the Madison Scouts), and I am concerned that this bill will be the death of some of the California drum and bugle corps. Drum and bugle corps are all non-profit youth organizations that rely heavily on their charity bingo profits to fund their numerous educational activities and programs. For example the Blue Devils (bluedevils.org) in Concord, CA services more than 600 young people in their area annually, and have involved over 10,000 youth during the course of their 50-year history in Concord. I am writing to you today to STRONGLY OPPOSE SB SB1369. This bill will seriously threaten the charitable fundraising efforts of these groups and hence, their very existence. It will also negatively impact the many other charity bingo games in the area. Many great activities for youth in California —including band programs, sports programs, performing arts programs and support for the underprivileged and disabled —do not receive funding from the government but are instead funded by these charity bingo games. SB1328 is an attempt by a bingo vendor and a very few and select charities with multiple locations across the state to reap high rewards. Meanwhile, many, many smaller bingo charities would not be able to compete and would lose a valuable source of support. This bill would eliminate all forms of electronic bingo as well as put all bingo games who play on paper at a huge disadvantage against the very few who have multiple locations. There are solutions to all the issues regarding bingo. Please do not rush into a devastating decision and put great charities out of business. Do not be fooled that groups like California Association of Nonprofits and Charity First represent all non-profits. They do not. In fact they have NEVER even contacted most charitable bingos games in the state. Please let The Blue Devils and organizations like them have another 50 years of serving youth in California. I urge a no vote on SB1369. Then lets all work together for a solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCIHasBeen Posted August 21, 2008 Share Posted August 21, 2008 I also paraphrased Mr. DeMello's letter ... State Senator Darrell Steinbery President of the Senate State Capitol, Room 4035 Sacramento, CA 95814 DCIHasBeen 1313 Mockingbird Lane Oakland, CA 94615 August 20, 2008 Re: Senate Bill 1369 – OPPOSE Dear Senator Steinbery: I am a supporting member of the Blue Devils (www.bluedevils.org), a youth organization from Concord, CA. The Blue Devils are a non-profit that relies heavily on charity bingo profits to fund numerous educational activities and programs. They service more than 600 young people in our area annually, and have involved over 10,000 youth during the course of their 50-year history in Concord. I am writing to you today to STRONGLY OPPOSE SB SB1369. This bill will seriously threaten Blue Devils' charitable fundraising efforts and hence, their very existence. It will also negatively impact the many other charity bingo games in the area. Many great activities for youth in our area—including band programs, sports programs, performing arts programs and support for the underprivileged and disabled—do not receive funding from the government but are instead funded by these charity bingo games. SB1328 is an attempt by a bingo vendor and a very few and select charities with multiple locations across the state to reap high rewards. Meanwhile, many, many smaller bingo charities would not be able to compete and would lose a valuable source of support. This bill would eliminate all forms of electronic bingo as well as put all bingo games who play on paper at a huge disadvantage against the very few who have multiple locations. There are solutions to all the issues regarding bingo. Please do not rush into a devastating decision and put great charities out of business. Do not be fooled that groups like California Association of Nonprofits and Charity First represent all non-profits. They do not. In fact they have NEVER even contacted most charitable bingos games in the state. Please let The Blue Devils have another 50 years of serving youth in California. I urge a no vote on SB1369. Then lets all work together for a solution. Very Truly Yours, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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