AIM Action Agenda: Ratified
On Thursday, February 6, over 50 key leaders from AIM member institutions across Montgomery County gathered for a Countywide Action Team Meeting, where they voted to ratify the agenda for AIM's upcoming March 5 Accountability Action.
The newly-ratified agenda includes the following:
- Affordable Housing
- Increase Housing Initiative Fund
- Build affordable housing on Public Land—3 parcels for 2019, 3 for 2020
- Prioritize affordable housing on Metro (WMATA) Land
- New strategies to double production and preservation of affordable housing between 2018 and 2022.
- Education
- Expand Excel Beyond the Bell Elementary to 2 new schools: 12 total schools serving 1680 students in the county’s highest poverty schools
- Pass Kirwan funding in the State, include funding for community schools in highest poverty schools.
- Legal Support for Immigrants
- Spend full $540,000 in this year’s County Budget
- Increase funding to $750,000 for 2020-2021 budget
- Launch Listening Campaign 2020
- Engage at minimum 2000 people.
- Focus on the broadening wealth gap in Montgomery County—potential model for the country.
These are the priorities we will bring before County Executive Elrich and members of County Council next month, as we call on them to make concrete commitments in these areas on March 5.
We know that in order to put the pressure on our elected officials to make promises—and follow through!—on these agenda items, we need organized people power present in the room. That's why the following AIM member institutions committed to turning out these many members from their institution for March 5:
| St. Camillus Catholic | 45 |
| Takoma Park Adventist | 10 |
| Islamic Center of MD | 15 |
| People's Community Baptist | 45 |
| Bethel World Outreach | 200 |
| Ascension Silver Spring | 12 |
| Cedar Lane UU | 30 |
| River Road UU | 15 |
| South Lake ES | 15 |
| Burnt Mills ES | 15 |
| New Hamp. Estates ES | 5 |
| St. Rose of Lima Catholic | 3 |
| Westmoreland UCC | 8 |
| Takoma Park Presbyterian | 5 |
Now, it's up to every AIM member to do their part in inviting friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors to come out and demand action on the issues that matter most to them. Our overall turnout goal is 400 in the room on March 5: how many of that 400 will be people you bring with you?