At its annual convention last evening in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, the 80 diverse groups that constitute the Organization of the North East (ONE) had plenty of victories to celebrate. In the past year, members secured funding for affordable housing units and the Grow Your Own Teacher program, ensured that neighborhood residents will have first priority for jobs at the new Wilson Yard development, and helped organized a massive immigrant rights march in Washington, D.C. and a budget protest in Springfield, among other projects. But none of roughly 1,000 attendees think their work is anywhere near complete.

After a moving invocation and welcome message (spoken in 12 different languages), ONE organizers unveiled their central targets for 2011. The group's primary focus is the state's wretched budget, which threatens crucial services in many of the North Side neighborhoods ONE represents. With State Reps. Greg Harris (D) and Harry Osterman (D) looking on, Chicago residents and service providers detailed how the ongoing fiscal instability impacts their lives. One woman from the Jane Addams Senior Caucus pointed out that a reduction in funding for the Community Care program threatens home care service for 40,000 seniors statewide. "It would be very difficult for me to exist," she said, "without that care." The problems extend into education and mental health care, where agencies and schools long-underfunded by the state are being forced to tighten their belts further because of declining tax receipts.

At the event last night, ONE members chastised the state legislature for failing to approve a responsible budget and unveiled plans for a "democracy project" to register and mobilize new voters around these issues. "We look to show our dissatisfaction with their leadership," said Centro Romero's Abel Nunez, "and that there is a political price to pay." Watch it:

The idea is simple: If Democrats in Springfield think kicking the can down the road is the right way to benefit the party this November, grassroots groups will instead direct their support at those legislators willing to face the state's fiscal problems head-on. Attendees signed postcards pledging to register new voters, both in their local communities and throughout the state as deputy registrars. ONE says the voter mobilization drive will kick off this summer and run through the city's aldermanic elections in 2011.

At the city level, the organization is also continuing its push for the Sweet Home Chicago ordinance, which would set aside 20 percent of all new tax increment financing (TIF) revenue to jumpstart affordable housing projects. Representatives from the Ezra-Multi Service Center said that 22 aldermen have signed on as co-sponsors of the bill. While only 26 are needed to secure its passage, organizers are trying to generate support from 34 aldermen to protect against an inevitable veto from Mayor Daley. Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th Ward) promised to attend last night's gathering but backed out at the last minute.