Monday, July 10th
Bellingham City Hall or Virtual, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 US
Host Contact Info: Connect with CFW Campaigns Director, Jace Cotton, by emailing or calling him directly: jace@communityfirstwhatcom.org (360) 480-5321. He can answer any questions or provide coaching and support for public comment coaching and support! This event is accessible.
The BTU is collaborating with Community First Whatcom in asking City Council to either support or adopt these initiatives. It is apparent that, after collecting over 13,700 signatures, the intersectional issues of raising the minimum wage and protecting renters are both popular and urgently important to voters.
Whether City Council takes a supportive stance may depend on them hearing a chorus of encouragement from us reminding them that they are elected officials and represent us - these policies are vital to their constituents.
Here is what you can do: Show up for the July 10th (and possibly again on July 24th) City Council meeting.
Make public comment. Amplify the campaign's message by giving public testimony.
Steps to take:
1. Fill out this form to confirm your attendance.
2. Register to give public testimony. While you can show up in support without giving public comment, using your voice is powerful and we will support you in giving confident and impactful testimony.
3. Start working on what unique stories, perspective, or legitimacy you can contribute through public testimony or emails to City Council. Make sure to:
- Keep it positive. Your testimony should make City Council feel excited about supporting our initiatives.
- Make use of their FAQ. The problem of low-wages and out-of-control housing costs, as well as corrections to the myths about our proposed solutions (which are already working in other PNW cities!), are detailed on their website.
- Use your strengths. If you have a personal experience of extreme rent hikes, share that. If you are an educator who sees the impact of these issues on students and families, share that. If you are a professional economist who knows the literature on the benefits of minimum wage, share that!
- Be ready to work as a team. Community First Whatcom is coordinating turnout and public testimony to make sure our message is clear and powerful.
It is important for your voice to be heard!