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Inside the Ambitious Campaign to Drive Homicides in Chicago Below 400

Brian Freskos

July 11, 2019 |

The Trace |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

In Chicago, community organizations, public officials, and private funders have come together behind a campaign called “<399” – with the goal of bringing homicides to under 400. This collaboration has taken on a comprehensive, community-centered approach that includes initiatives like community outreach, individual support, and mentoring. While they’ve received significant funding from the city, they’re hoping to secure long-term financial and political support from all levels of government.

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What Gun Violence Prevention Looks Like When It Focuses on the Communities Hurt the Most

Elizabeth Van Brocklin

July 10, 2019 |

The Trace |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Oakland, California

Across the United States, gun violence prevention initiatives are finally turning their attention to the urban communities hit hardest and supporting community-driven approaches. In the past, financial support has gone to linear, legislative approaches to gun control that often favor white communities, but the tides are turning. Funding has shifted to focus on initiatives that provide trauma recovery centers, hospital-based centers, and programs that provide communities hit the hardest with mentorship, job training, and therapy – all initiatives that have proven to help break the cycle of gun violence.

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Detroit Bail Project aims to disrupt the process of cash bail and incarceration

Nina Misuraca Ignaczak

July 09, 2019 |

Model D |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Detroit, Michigan

The Bail Project is posting bond for men and women who cannot afford to pay and haven’t been convicted of a crime. Based in Detroit, the nonprofit has locations across the country and uses a revolving fund to bail out individuals, meaning once the bond is recovered, the funding is then available for another person. Its Detroit location has bailed out nearly 200 individuals in an effort to end mass incarceration and prove that holding people – most of whom are people of color or experiencing poverty – does not diminish recidivism.

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Fully fund the state's PILOT program

Matt Pilon

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

Connecticut's PILOT program was created to partially reimburse cities and towns for state-owned, tax-exempt properties and take some financial burden off smaller towns. The PILOT program, however, is voluntary, making it easier for state legislators to disregard the reimbursement requests in tough financial times. Now, state officials are urged to make the PILOT program mandatory to keep the response working for the small individual towns and cities around Connecticut.

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Myriad ideas exist to solve Hartford's high property taxes and unequal tax system

Matt Pilon Gregory Seay

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

The complex issue of structural inequalities in Hartford, Connecticut's tax system has proven difficult to solve. But community members on all sides agree that a collective approach - one that learns from failed town halls and group brainstorms - is the only way to address the city's imbalance of income opportunities. The town's mayor has led several focus groups with local business owners to get local opinions and perspectives, but the town has to keep working to fuse this local ownership with passable legislation.

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Hartford's largest nonprofits contribute more

Matt Pilon

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut looks to Boston as an example of a city that has succeeded in establishing a connection between nonprofits - who can donate payments to the city that are exempt from property taxes - and the local government. With a massive number of successful hospitals and colleges, Boston has created a system in which it can use donated money from these highly profitable institutions to work toward city planning without paying property taxes on the donations; Hartford hopes to create a similar relationship in its own city limits.

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What about city spending?

Matt Pilon Greg Bordonaro

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut has made significant cuts to city spending in an effort to ensure the revenue they get from taxes goes further. The mayor ensured tight spending by working with local union groups, ceasing new borrowing projects, and cutting the number of unnecessary full-time positions in the city. With the frugal spending, the city has lowered its deficit while not burdening residents with high tax rates.

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Alternative revenue sources could bolster city budget, lower mill rate

Matt Pilon Gregory Seay

July 08, 2019 |

Hartford Business Journal |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Hartford looks to local governments nearby that have found success in the adoption of creative taxation, from restaurant meal taxes to taxes levied on hotel stays. Massachusetts, which has raised significant funds from these taxes as well as from taxation of recreational cannabis, uses this unrestricted revenue to distribute for local operating budgets.

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How Norway turns criminals into good neighbours

Emma Jane Kirby

July 07, 2019 |

BBC |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Norway, Halden

Norway’s Halden Prison is taking a different approach to incarceration: emphasizing rehabilitation over punishment, which has led to a 20% decrease in recidivism in just two years. Over the past two decades, the country has sought rigorous criminal justice reform, which at Halden Prison means job training and certifications, yoga and other recreational activities, reenvisioning the role guards play, and spaces that look more like home than a jail cell.

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Drinking coffee, talking politics

Aina de Lapparent Alvarez

July 01, 2019 |

The Daily Star Lebanon |

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800-1500 Words

Response Location: Lebanon

Coffee & Politics is an initiative founded by Tracy Nehme to provide opportunities to explore Lebanese politics and history. The program provides scheduled events and monthly talks on a particular topic. Attendance increased after online advertising and Nehme started inviting guest speakers, like the heads of government agencies and elected officials, to lead the discussions and hold Q&As. Despite lower capacities, coffee shops are the ideal venues because the informal open spaces attract diverse crowds. The initiative’s popularity has already led it to be scaled to another city, with events held in Tripoli.

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