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The League of Women Voters takes action on an issue or advocates for a cause when there is an existing League position that supports the issue or speaks to the cause. 

Positions result from a process of study. Any given study, whether it be National, State, or Local, is thorough in its pursuit of facts and details. As the study progresses, a continuing discussion of pros and cons of each situation occurs. Prior to the results of the study being presented to the general membership, study committee members fashion consensus questions that are then addressed by the membership. 

Additional discussion, pro and con, takes place as members (not part of the study committee) learn the scope of the study. After the members reach consensus, the board forms positions based on that consensus. 

It is the consensus statement -- the statement resulting from the consensus questions -- that becomes a position. Firm action or advocacy can then be taken on the particular issue addressed by the position. Without a position, action/advocacy cannot be taken.

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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE AKRON AREA POSITIONS 

CITY OF AKRON POSITIONS 

• Land Use, Planning and Zoning 
• Support for zoning, which promotes orderly community growth and inhibits urban neighborhood deterioration, and for  minimal and cautious use of conditional zoning. Support for housing and building code enforcement. 
• Support the concept of a comprehensive land use plan for the City of Akron, and for regular updates with citizen input of  the Land Use and Development Guide Plan.  
• Support measures to improve the quality of recreation in the Akron community and development and implementation of  a master plan for parks and recreation. Continued monitoring of these plans and their implementation.  
• Support downtown Akron revitalization projects that will benefit the community without sacrificing historical integrity. 

• Municipal government 
• Support for the charter form of city government and monitoring of any revision of the City of Akron Charter. 
• Support legislation to fill city council ward member vacancies by vote of ward precinct committee representatives and  council-at-large member vacancies by vote of city precinct representatives if half of term remains; filling shall be temporary with some provision made for election at the next regular election. 
• Support for municipal revenues to be raised in a fair and equitable manner to provide an adequate level of services,  and consideration of the effect on the city’s finances in determining LWVAA positions on municipal issues. 
• Support the Akron Civil Service system. 
• Campaign Finance 
• Support efforts to increase accessibility and timeliness of campaign finance information. 
• Support limitations on campaign contributions from all sources. 
• Support limitations on cash contributions from all sources and the dispensing of receipts for each cash contribution  received. 
• Support the meaningful civil enforcement of campaign law. 
• Support the review of campaign finance law to allow for modernization. 
• Support the right of recourse to recall for the removal of elected officials from office. A structure should be in place to  prevent the misuse of recall elections and to minimize their costs, with mechanisms that reflect just cause for conducting a recall, consider the interests and concerns of citizens, and protect the integrity of elected office.
• Appointment of an independent auditor; 
• A personnel system based on merit. 
• Review of countywide tax levies and the prevailing system of submission of individual tax levies by non-elected agency  boards. 
• Social Policy 
• Support programs for the aged in Summit County including housing assistance (government, voluntary or private), financial assistance and social services. 
• Support programs that help the developmentally challenged to meet their basic human needs. 
• Support an effective planning process, adequate funding and provision for the most appropriate treatment and services  for persons with disabilities. 
• Support equal access to affordable housing for all income levels.  
• Support policies and programs that protect the well-being, development and safety of all children.  
• Water Quality 
• Support the monitoring of effects of contaminants and land use on water supply, and monitoring of inspection processes. 
• Support the monitoring of effects of land use on the water supply and the effects of extraction and consumption of water by  industry. 
• Schools 
• Support the philosophy that children should have opportunity for education commensurate with their abilities and support  measures to provide adequate educational programs, facilities and finances for the Akron Area public schools. 
• Support the LWVO position that supports a funding system for public elementary and secondary education that is ac -  countable and responsive to the taxpayer. LWVO believes that public funds should be used only for public schools. 
• Tax Sharing 
• Support the formation of Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDD).

REGIONAL POSITIONS

• Environment 
• Support measures to preserve and restore Lake Erie and its tributaries.  
• Support measures to preserve and protect the Tuscarawas River and watershed. 
• Land Use 
• Support the continued development of Cuyahoga Valley National Park and its restoration and preservation as an open green area. 
• Support policies to ensure adequate funding, necessary land acquisition, preservation of green space, and citizen involvement in the Summit Metro Parks. 
• Support the continued development of the Ohio and Erie Canalway, a National Heritage Area that includes parts of Summit County. 
• Support countywide planning and cooperation with adjacent counties. 
• Support long-range land use planning for all areas within Summit County which provides for efficient transportation, efficient delivery of services, and protection for environmentally fragile areas such as steep slopes, flood plains, scenic areas and wetlands. 
• Support appropriate incentives for adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of existing structures. 
• Support county-wide zoning patterns that create and conserve open space and preserve historic, scenic, natural and  cultural resources. Support more stringent measures regulating signage. 
• Support the use of buffer zones, preferably native vegetation between commercial developments, residential and/or scenic  areas. 
• Support and encourage ordinances/resolutions requiring that desirable species of trees and other vegetation, which might  otherwise be cleared for development, be retained on the site. 
• Support the provision of incentives for use of hardy native vegetation In buffer zones, developments and in general land scaping, in order to reduce maintenance and minimize the use of fertilizer and pesticides. 
• Transportation 
• Support mass transportation in Summit County with a focus on being available for employment and coordinate all land use planning with transportation.  
• Support a comprehensive intermodal transportation system that takes into consideration pedestrians and bicyclists.
• County Government  
• Support methods, which impose the fiscal management and the operation of Summit County government through the  Summit County Charter. 
• Modern and appropriate accounting system with timely capital and operational annual budget adoptions; 
• An executive-council form of government; 
• Elections of department heads who make policy; appointment of those who administer policy;
• Appointment of an independent auditor;
• A personnel system based on merit.
• Review of countywide tax levies and the prevailing system of submission of individual tax levies by non-elected agency boards.
• Social Policy
• Support programs for the aged in Summit County, including housing assistance (government, voluntary, or private), financial assistance, and social services.
• Support programs that help the developmentally challenged to meet their basic human needs.
• Support an effective planning process, adequate funding and provision for the most appropriate treatment and services for persons with disabilities.
• Support equal access to affordable housing for all income levels.
• Support policies and programs that protect the well-being, development and safety of all children.

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For information on the current League of Women Voters Ohio and League of Women Voter US positions, see the links below:

 League of Women Voters Ohio—www.lwvohio.org/positions

 League of Women Voters U S—www.lwv.org/impact-issues