LWVSA membership votes during its annual meeting to determine which public policy issues to prioritize for education and advocacy efforts in the coming year, at times elevating a particular issue for extensive study.
The League’s process for study has acquired a solid reputation for its in-depth and unbiased exploration, with members pursuing facts and evidence supporting all sides of an issue. Members review pro and con materials, converse with experts, consult public officials, develop their own resources, and additionally reach out to the community through public meetings, surveys, and media coverage.
Results of these extensive studies are presented to the membership for discussion and potential arrival at a consensus position, which can then serve as the basis for League advocacy.
In the spring of 2020, LWVSA began working on a study examining the issue of income inequality.
The study already underway examines the degree, causes, and effects of wealth inequality in Bexar County and the surrounding area, with a scope encompassing the following:
Using public records, media reports and interviews, we will describe the degree of economic inequality in our area.
Using similar methods and sources, we will look at the factors that contribute to inequality:
Using public records, focus groups and open meetings, media reports and interviews, we will attempt to gather both quantitative and qualitative data on the effects of income inequality, especially generational poverty, on our community and its potential.
Finally, having identified probable contributing factors, we will look for ways of altering those factors. Our focus will be on public policy initiatives that might be taken at the local, state, or even federal level to alleviate the conditions found.
Join us in this timely and important effort!
