Dallas Area Interfaith

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DAI has been remarkably successful at training and motivating citizens in the Dallas area to take their rightful place in deciding upon and working to shape the future of our community.  Helping one another and holding both elected and appointed public officials accountable for the common good, DAI leaders have worked on a variety of issues that touch upon virtually every of life in our area.  The tangible results have been manyfold, and the list below recaps only a few.  The intangible results have been just as remarkable, as ordinary citizens who formerly felt powerless and lacking in connection with the culture around them have discovered their voice and their collective power, within the very best traditions of American democracy.  Read on or click the links immediately below to explore many of these issue and DAI's actions and results in more detail.

• Katrina evacuees in north Texas area;
• Reform in financing for Texas public schools;
• Comprehensive reform in our nation's immigration laws;
• Working to improve public safety in Dallas;
• Working for improved access to quality health care at affordable prices; and
• Bringing after school programs to Dallas public schools.

KATRINA EVACUEES

DAI, led by the Collin County cluster, worked with Katrina evacuees in the Dallas area to ensure their voices were heard as they struggled to regain control of their lives.  In the area of housing assistance, on February 21, 2006 DAI held a press conference at the Cathedral of Guadalupe calling for FEMA to extend their housing assistance program for Katrina evacuees, which had been set to expire on February 28.  DAI leaders, Katrina evacuee leaders, the Dallas Housing Authority, and other local service agencies came together to call for a 6-month extension on that assistance program so that evacuees could have more time to get their basic needs in order and find jobs.  As a direct result, FEMA extended the deadline for 6 months, which amounted to over $100 million in additional support for survivors.  Due to the efforts of the Texas IAF and Louisiana IAF networks, congress accepted our draft legislation and extended housing an additional eighteen months in 2007.  Katrina evacuees felt so strongly the successes organizing brought, they formed their own Katrina Survivors Network and joined DAI as a full dues paying member institution in late 2007.

SCHOOL FINANCE

On March 13, 2006, 15 DAI leaders along with leaders from ACT in Ft. Worth attended a public hearing in Arlington of the Texas Tax Reform Commission, headed by John Sharp.  DAI's leaders presented DAI's position on school finance reform, calling for a broad-based business tax and no increase in the sales tax rate.  Texas IAF organizations attended every Commission hearing across the state, pushing the same message.  As a result, on April 29, 2006, the Texas Tax Reform Commission and Governor Perry presented an official tax reform proposal that included a broad-based business tax and no sales tax increase.  In an article in the San Antonio Express-News and in front of 600 Texas IAF leaders, John Sharp said that the lack of a sales tax rate hike was due primarily to the tenacity of the Texas Industrial Areas Foundation, which includes DAI.

IMMIGRATION

On May 29, 2008, DAI, led by the clergy of the Collin County Cluster, held a public forum at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.  Over 300 residents from Plano and surrounding areas attended to hear area religious leaders and SW IAF Network Director Ernesto Cortes call for comprehensive reform of US immigration laws and for resistance to piece meal efforts at local levels.  Members of the Plano City Council and Collin County Commissioner's Court committed to work with DAI on this issue, to support DAI's call for national reform, and to work to resist any conflicting local initiatives.

On March 16, 2007, DAI held a press conference calling for the U.S. Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, not enforcement-only punitive laws.  Bishop Grahmann of the Catholic Diocese, Bishop Kanouse of the Texas-Louisiana Lutheran Synod, Father Ramon from the Cathedral of Guadalupe, Father Seitz of St. Rita Catholic Church all spoke passionately about the need to fix our broken and inhumane immigration system.  

Dallas Area Interfaith was a key organizer of the April 9, 2006 500,000 person MegaMarch Immigration Rally, where we signed people on to our agenda, and registered voters.  As a result, the press conference and our work at the rally has been repeatedly highlighted and praised in the media and by local politicians and community leaders.

Following DAI's 2007 call for expanded access to matrículas for our congregation members, the Mexican Consul General agreed to set aside three Saturdays for DAI congregation members to apply for their matrículas.  As a result, DAI worked with the Mexican Consulate and Dallas police to provide 1600 matriculas in three sessions.  One session provided ID cards to 650 individuals in one day, the largest ever in North Texas.

PUBLIC SAFETY
Over a three year period, DAI held public actions on Public Safety with hundreds of people across the city, and in a January 18, 2006 letter and presentation to the City Council we called for more incentives and benefits to dramatically increase recruitment so we can hire an additional 200 police officers per year to reach a goal of at least 3 sworn officers per 1000 population so Dallas can begin to implement community oriented policing methods as described by the US Department of Justice.  As a result, the City Council approved $10,000 bonuses for new recruits who completed training and provided funding for 100 additional officers.  The bonus plan led to the largest recruiting classes in years and many of the City Council members praised DAI for its continued involvement in pressing for more police officers and a safer city.   The city manager recommended the city hire 200 additional officers for the 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 fiscal years, and those recommendations have been inacted by Dallas City Council.

HEALTHCARE
Beginning in 2000, DAI's Collin County cluster successfully changed the guidelines for indigent care in their county by educating the county commissioners and community on the need for increased investment.  Through numerous meetings, training, and creation of a health taskforce, at our recommendation, Collin County officials recognized the need to increase the threshold of service.  As a result, Collin County Commissioners raised the level to qualify for indigent care from 21% first to 50%, and then to 100% in 2007.  They also allocated an additional $500,000 annual budget for indigent care.  The commissioners publicly thanked Collin County Interfaith Cluster (DAI) for keeping this issue before the county.

Dallas Area Interfaith and the Texas IAF Network played a key role in the expansion of CHIP in Texas.  DAI and our sister organizations pressed the Lt. Governor to stop holding the legislation hostage and get a bill through the Senate that allowed more children to be covered.  After tense discussion with Texas IAF leaders and particularly DAI, the Lt. Governor broke the impasse and CHIP passed the Senate and the House, expanding care by 100,000 children.  The Lt. Governor publicly thanked the Texas IAF network for the role we played in passing CHIP and Rep. Sylvester Turner recognized us as key to the passage of this legislation.

Análisis de las Actividades y Metas Cumplidas Recientemente


EVACUANTES DE KATRINA

Asistencia de Vivienda
Acción: El 21 de febrero, DAI tuvo una conferencia de prensa en la Catedral de Guadalupe pidiéndole a FEMA que extendiera su programa de asistencia de vivienda para los evacuantes de Katrina, el cual se iba a expirar el 28 de febrero.  Los líderes de DAI, líderes de los evacuados de Katrina, la Autoridad de Vivienda de Dallas, y otras agencias locales de servicio se unieron para pedir por una extensión de 6 meses para ese programa de asistencia para que los evacuados pudieran tener más tiempo para poner sus cosas en orden y conseguir nuevos trabajos.
Resultado: Pocos días después de la conferencia de prensa, el FEMA autorizó la extensión del plazo por un mes más.  A finales de marzo, el FEMA autorizó extender el plazo por dos meses más.  En el 2007, por el esfuerzo de las organizaciones de Tejas & Luisiana, el Congreso aceptó continuar la asistencia por 18 meses. 


FINANCIACIÓN ESCOLAR

Comisión de Impuestos
Acción: El 13 y 15 de marzo líderes del DAI y un número de líderes del ACT en Ft. Worth atendieron una audiencia pública en Arlington de la Comisión de Reforma de los Impuestos de Tejas, dirigido por John Sharp.  Nosotros presentamos nuestra posición de la reforma financiera escolar, pidiendo un impuesto de negocios bastante amplio y que no incrementaran la porción de impuestos de venta.  Las Organizaciones del IAF de Tejas han atendido a varias audiencias de la Comisión estos últimos meses apoyando el mismo mensaje.
Resultado: El 29 de abril, la Comisión de Reforma de los Impuestos de Tejas y el Gobernador Perry presentó una propuesta oficial de la reforma del impuesto que incluía un impuesto de negocios bastante amplio y ningún incremento del impuesto de venta.  En un artículo del periódico San Antonio Express News, se cita a Sharp diciendo que la falta de un incremento de los impuestos de venta es parcialmente debido a la tenacidad de la Tejas Industrial Area Foundation.


INMIGRACIÓN

Reforma Integral de Inmigración
Acción: El 16 de marzo, DAI tuvo una conferencia de prensa pidiéndole al Congreso de los Estados Unidos a pasar la Reforma Integral de Inmigración, no solamente las leyes punitivas.  El Obispo Grahmann de la Diócesis Católica, el Obispo Kanouse del Sínodo Luterano de Tejas y Luisiana, el Padre Ramón de la Catedral de Guadalupe, el Padre Seitz de la Iglesia Católica de Santa Rita, nuestro aliado con la Campaña de Trabajos para Justicia, y todos hablaron apasionadamente acerca de la necesidad para arreglar nuestra rota e inhumana sistema de inmigración.
Resultado: Un número de estaciones televisión y estaciones de radio local cubrieron este evento y trasmitió el mensaje que necesitamos una reforma integral de inmigración.
DAI fue reconocido por su papel clave en organizar la Mega Marcha del 9 de  abril 2006, que tuvo la participación de más de 500,000 personas.  Se registraron votantes y se apuntaron a personas para apoyar a la Agenda en Defensa de las Familias.

Matrículas Consulares
Resultado: DAI pidió y consiguió del Cónsul General de Mexico acceso a las matrículas para nuestros miembros de las congregaciones. Con la colaboración de lideres de las Iglesias, el Cónsul General Mexicano y DAI asistieron a mas de 1600 personas obtener su matricula consular en tres sesiones.


SEGURIDAD PÚBLICA

Acción y resultado:  Durante los ultimo dos año después de reuniones con 3 mil  personas a través de la ciudad, DAI  pidió y logró un compromiso de la Ciudad para aumentar el numero de policías a 200 por año hasta que se llegue a los 800 que se necesita para asegurar que Dallas sea una ciudad segura. Ganamos también que se les ofreciera mas incentivos y beneficios para dramáticamente incrementar el reclutamiento de oficiales.  ¡Y se logró!  El Concilio de la Ciudad reconoció el esfuerzo de DAI en esto.


SALUD PUBLICA

Asistencia al Indigente: 
Acción: Nuestra Organización en el Condado de Collin procuro cambiar las pautas para el cuidado de indigentes por medio de educar a los comisionarios y a la comunidad en la necesidad de hacer e aumentar la inversión.
Resultado:  Los comisionarios del condado de Collin levantaron el nivel para calificar el indigente de 50% del umbral de pobreza a un 100%.  Cuando se empezo a trabajar con ellos el nivel era solo 25%.  Ellos asignaron también un adicional $500,000 para el cuidado del indigente. La Comisión dio gracias públicamente a Collin County Interfaith (DAI) por mantener este asunto ante el Condado de Collin.