Screenshot from "Springfield slumlords don't want you to have rights. We have different plans." by Rex Ybañez, Isaac Protiva, and Blythe Spindler-Richardson. Links to video in prior article.
STUN is tired of waiting around for Right to Counsel. With the proposed RTC ordinance still sitting untouched in the Community Involvement Committee after nearly two years, action was needed to turn the pressure up on the issue. This month STUN organized an email blitz targeting the members of City Council that have not pledged support for the measure. STUN members inundated City Council's inboxes with over 300 messages detailing all of the individual reasons why Springfield tenants deserve a Right to Counsel.
There are many reasons to choose from, ranging from high-minded philosophy to plain practicality. As for myself, I expressed the argument in three simple points: fair legal equity, basic human dignity, and fiscal responsibility. Fair legal equity means that the law works best when all parties have the same access to representation and legal resources. Basic human dignity means that no one should be kicked out of their home without a chance to plead their case. And fiscal responsibility means that RTC can be implemented with little financial impact to the city and could potentially even save it money compared to the cost of enforcing evictions and providing homelessness services for evicted tenants. But those are just the arguments that resonate most with me. Others, no doubt sent equally compelling reasons, or even their own firsthand experiences.
Response has been expectedly diplomatic. Replies were sent by Councillor Heather Hardinger, weeks after the fact in many cases, expressing tepid support for the idea of RTC, contingent on finding more funding from somewhere. It's a convenient out, since we citizens obviously have little to no control over the city budget. But it's not a no, and it leaves an opening for persuasion, which is good because STUN doesn't plan on stopping here. We already have more plans to keep our voices ringing in City Council's ears. We are preparing for a press conference on November 17th, the centerpiece of which will be the presentation on a data report on Springfield evictions that we've been compiling for months. Following that, on November 30th, we are planning a telephone campaign. See the Looking Forward section below for more details. And of course, even apart from STUN's organized activities, you can still reach out to City Council on your own. You can just do that, anytime you want! They work for us! You can find their contact information in the city government directory. If you want to contribute to our RTC message even though you missed our email campaign, or if you want to address some other issue, take the chance to let them know your concerns!