Update:

Tammy plead not guilty yesterday morning.  Her trial is set for Tuesday, February 5th, at 2pm.

To everyone who called or wrote the city attorney and mayor, thank you!  To those of you who have not yet had a chance, it remains important to do so! 

The mayor is claiming he’s only received seven calls or emails and the city attorney is claiming only nine calls.  My count is only twelve confirmed calls or emails.  We can and need to do much better than this!   Calling and emailing instructions are listed below.

There was an article (see link below) in the Billings Gazette this morning.  The article focused mostly on whether or not the city had a case for trespassing, and did not address the larger issue – freedom of speech!

We are calling for continued phone calls and emails to the city attorney and mayor, letters to the editor, and online comments to the article!  See instructions below.

*If you or an associate calls, emails, comments, or writes a letter, please let me know!*

Things to Consider:

1.  The larger issue here is one of freedom.  If the owner or the city can determine who may enter a park based on whether they like them or not, this violates freedom of speech and has much larger implications.  If the current statute is read literally, it indicates that a park owner can decide to restrict particular political candidates, religious organizations, trick-or-treaters, girl scouts, and even which relatives of the residents may enter a park.  This would give park owners absolute control over the type of information residents have access to and who may or may not enter.  Under this argument, if a park owner didn’t like your grandmother she or he could restrict your grandmother from visiting you.  The city could put your grandmother in jail for visiting you. 

2.  The person who made the complaint to the police that resulted in Tammy’s arrest remains anonymous.  Why is the complainant allowed to remain unidentified?

3.  Why is the City of Billings spending taxpayer money on restricting resident freedoms?

Article:  http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2008/01/11/news/local/36-tresspass.txt

Online Comments:  simply go the bottom of the page of the online article & submit

Letter to the Editor: Letters can be submitted four ways:

• Using the form at the bottom of this page: http://billingsgazette.net/info/?h/letters
• Email your letter to speakup@billingsgazette.com.
• Mail your letters by postal mail to:
• P.O. Box 36300
  Billings, MT 59107-6300
• Send your letters by fax to: (406) 657-1208

Letters to the editor must contain the writer's name, street address, and work and/or home phone numbers. Maximum length is 250 words.

Call:
City Attorney Brent Brooks at:      (406) 657-8202          brooksb@ci.billings.mt.us
Mayor Ron Tussing at:      (406) 657-8296        tussingr@ci.billings.mt.us

When:  Anytime, until the action alert is called off.  We will keep you posted if the alert is cancelled.

What to Say:   Drop the charges against Tammy Hoth.  Freedom of expression is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. 

Feel free to embellish with your own story: e.g. I am a manufactured home park resident/advocate and this is important to me because…