Dear Citizen Activist,

We ended 2011 with a promise that we would keep fighting for the 99%.  In the midst of an election year where Billionaires & Corporations spent more on elections than candidates did in a power grab to buy our democracy, WV Citizen Action has been in Action fighting for your values. Fighting to keep the middle class working, keep our elections fair and get BIG money out of politics. Fighting to protect our democracy and our environment. 

With your continued contributions and support, we’ve been able to keep up the fight for social and economic justice in West Virginia for the past 38 years. 

Here are some 2012 highlights:

Taking a Stand Against “Citizens United” & Corporate Personhood

·West Virginians for Democracy (WVFD) is our newest project opposing the massive amounts of money being allowed into our electoral process through the Supreme Court’s decision in “Citizens United” vs. FEC.

·We kicked off this campaign with a demonstration in January to send a message that “Corporations Are Not People”. 

·This summer, WVFD delivered a petition to the WV Legislature, signed by more than 2,700 people, to support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United.

·In the 2013 Session we’ll be working get our Legislature to pass a Resolution calling on Congress to end Corporate Personhood with a Constitutional Amendment!

Demonstrating that Public Campaign Financing Works 

·We worked to get the first public financing pilot project passed in West Virginia.

·This election, the first WV Supreme Court justice in history was elected without major contributions from big business or lawyers.

·In 2013 we’ll work at the legislature to make public financing a permanent option for ALL Supreme Court candidates!

 Keeping West Virginians Working on Infrastructure

·We worked with Sen. Rockefeller and Rep. Rahall to secure our Federal transportation funding from being gutted by the Conservatives.

·This helped to keep our roads and bridges safe, and keep our construction workers employed rebuilding our critical infrastructure.

· We worked closely with our allies in the building trades and AFL-CIO on this critical labor issue.

Promoting Energy Efficiency – Saves Money & Creates Jobs

·Our Energy Efficient West Virginia (EEWV) campaign was successful in getting the Public Service Commission (PSC) to mandate AEP’s Appalachian Power to adopt a $6 million consumer energy efficiency program.  Also as a result of our efforts, Appalachian Power is now conducting free Energy Assessments for residential customers and providing free energy saving kits (a $45 value) that save their customers money about $50.00 per year.  

·Right now our major electric utilities insist on buying expensive used coal plants (from their own out-of-state divisions) instead of investing in conservation. EEWV is ramping up a campaign to tell the PSC to do the right thing, lower bills for West Virginians and demand that our electric producers do not burden WV consumers with costly, outdated coal generation units. Watch for a 2013 legislative agenda promoting Efficiency as public policy.

Your contribution helps to fight back against the forces of greed and prejudice that are taking us back to the robber baron era.  You can help us keep up this fight for progressive change by contributing at www.wvcag.org or sending in a tax deductible donation to the address below.

 Please make an end-of-the year donation and renew your membership today.

Our Democracy is at risk – Now is the time to fight back with all we’ve got!

Sincerely,

Gary Zuckett, Executive Director

WV Citizen Action and WV Citizen Action Education Fund

To keep up with the Action - “like” our page on Facebook and check out our videos on YouTube!

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