Here is an issue which will also affect birders in Virginia. Although this
email is a long one, I'm forwarding the entire message because it includes
informative details, names of officials to contact, and suggestions for points
to include in your response.
Barbara Farron
Springfield, VA
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----- Original Message -----
From: MALawler@xxxxxxx
To: vnps-pot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 8:00 PM
Subject: [vnps-pot] supporting the natural resources budget
We encourage you to take action by March 13, 2004
Support Natural Resources Funding - We Need You to Make Calls &
Send Emails!
INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPOND VIA THE WEB:
If you have access to a web browser, you can take action on this
alert by going to the following URL:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/2004budget OR
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/2004budget/iwexwdzfjjknxw ;
Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/2004budget/forward/iwexwdzfjjknxw ;
TAKE ACTION!
Support Natural Resources Funding - We Need You to Make Calls &
Send Emails!
Virginia ranks 50th in the country in funding for natural
resources. Less than one penny out of every dollar the state
spends goes to funding natural resources. Our natural resources
are suffering from the lack of investment.
The House and Senate have come out with their respective
budgets. The budgets are very different. The proposed Senate
budget has over $75 million more than the proposed House
budget. Under the Senate's proposal, at least $30 million in
dedicated funding for land and water conservation would come
from a 1-cent increase in the sales tax.
Our message to the budget conferees is that funding for natural
resources should not be cut and needs to be increased.
TALKING POINTS - Support Natural Resources Funding
Please CALL or EMAIL the budget conferees and TELL THEM:
1. Don't cut General Funds. Natural Resources needs consistent,
reliable funding.
2. Support funding for the Water Quality Improvement Fund
(WQIF). Over 40% of Virginia's waters do not meet water quality
standards, including the Chesapeake and its tributaries. Please
support the House position on 2003 surplus funds for WQIF and
the Senate position for new 2004-06 funds for WQIF.
3. The Virginia Land Conservation Foundation (VLCF) currently
receives no funding. We are losing 180 acres of land a day to
development, despite the state's commitments to protect open
space. Please support the Senate position on VLCF.
4. The Senate budget proposes the merging of the Chesapeake Bay
Local Assistance Department (CBLAD) in with the Department of
Conservation and Recreation (DCR). This item was studied and
rejected in the 2003 General Assembly Session. The Senate
proposal should be set aside at this time because any potential
cost savings are not significant enough to warrant using a
budget action for such a departmental reorganization. The budget
should not be the instrument for reorganizing government
agencies.
Because the House and Senate have different budgets, budget
conferees are appointed to work out the differences between the
two budgets. Budget conferees will not be named for another week,
but we anticipate that the Senate budget conferees will be the
same as last year and the majority of the House budget conferees
will also be the same.
Please CALL or EMAIL these conferees as soon as possible,
whether or not they are your legislator. They are representing
the entire Commonwealth in their conference position.
We also think it is important to get in CALLS and EMAILS to the
House Speaker and Majority Leader.
Senate Finance Members
Senator Chichester -- 804-698-7528, district28@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Colgan -- 804-698-7529, district29@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Stosch -- 804-698-7512, district12@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Senator Wampler -- 804-608-7540, district40@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
House Appropriations Members
Delegate Callahan -- 804-698-1034, Del_Callahan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Delegate Putney -- 804-698-1019, Del_Putney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Delegate Hamilton -- 804-698-1093, Del_Hamilton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Delegate Joannou -- 804-698-1079, No email
House Leadership
Delegate Griffith -- 804-698-1008, Del_Griffith@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Speaker Howell -- 804-698-1028, Del_Howell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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