FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

4 January 2011 Sandie Albarella

651-603-5923, salbarella@caprw.org

Common Cents Collaboration Gives Citizens A Voice

Community Action and TakeAction Minnesota team up to get input on state budget deficit
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – With the state budget deficit projected to be $6.2 million, Community Action
Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties believes it’s critical for citizen voices to be heard.
Community Action and TakeAction Minnesota are offering “Common Cents”, an interactive forum providing
an opportunity for people to give input on this important issue. The forum will take place on Tuesday,
January 18, 2011.

As part of Community Action’s Kitchen Table Series, people will share perspectives, give input on balancing
the deficit and find common ground. “As the 2011 legislative session opens, we want the voice of the people
to be heard. This is a huge issue that will affect this generation and the next,” said Clarence Hightower,
Executive Director, Community Action. Participants learn how the state budget works and the tradeoffs
needed for decision-making. The deficit equals nearly one of every six dollars slated to be spent by the state
in the next two years. Over thirty Common Cents meetings will have taken place when the findings are
presented to Governor Dayton and the State Legislature late in January 2011.

Event Information and RSVP Details

Kitchen Table is a series of programs intended to generate rich and honest dialogue regarding how lives are affected
by poverty in key areas. Kitchen Table’s Common Cents forum will take place from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on
Tuesday, January 18, 2011, at Community Action headquarters, 450 Syndicate Street North in Saint Paul.
Refreshments will be served. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. Space is limited and there is no charge to
attend. Please RSVP to Kim Ellison, 651.603.5951 or kellison@caprw.org. Support for this program is
provided by The Citizens League.

Related Links
www.caprw.org Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties
www.takeactionminnesota.org TakeAction Minnesota
www.citizing.org CitiZing – A project of The Citizens League

About Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties

Community Action brings together community resources to reduce poverty and help people help themselves.
Community Action provides services such as early childhood education, energy services, and financial independence
training. The organization also advocates on its participants’ behalf for funding and services, and works to help shape
public policy on poverty-related issues.
As a nonpartisan, locally run, private nonprofit, Community Action is governed by a board composed of
representatives from the low-income, government and business communities. Community Action has more than 300
employees and an annual budget of $20 million. It is part of a network of 1,100 Community Action agencies
nationwide.