[BCNnet] RE: [fpfriends] looking at other funding ideas for IDNR Natural Areas
Joyce Okeefe
jokeefe@openlands.org
Tue, 9 Mar 2004 18:06:53 -0600
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I am really taken aback by this article. Funding for OSLAD and NAAF is =
from the Real Estate Transfer Tax. The property tax code specifically =
says that 35% of the moneys collected from the Real Estate Transfer Tax =
shall be deposited into the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development =
Fund and 15% into the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. (The other 50% =
goes into the Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund.) Even dedicated =
funds aren't immune!!
=20
Joyce O'Keefe
-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Anderson [mailto:casresearch@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2004 8:29 PM
To: Forest Preserve Friends; BCNnet Listserv
Subject: [fpfriends] looking at other funding ideas for IDNR Natural =
Areas
>From today's Sunday Sun-Times:
=20
http://www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cst-spt-bowman07.html
=20
Budget cuts might make time right for dedicated funding=20
March 7, 2004=20
BY DALE BOWMAN STAFF REPORTER=20
We can whine about the pathetic state of conservation funding under Gov. =
Blagojevich. Or we can use desperation to drive creativity.=20
Last week, a member of the Natural Resources Advisory Board and I kicked =
around ideas for stable funding of the Illinois Department of Natural =
Resources.=20
Things are so desperate he floated the idea of selling waterfront =
property along lakes like Shelbyville. I told him the idea stunk. =
Shelbyville is one of our most beautiful lakes. But part of me knows =
that would be a tremendous one-time fix for IDNR. Things are that bad. =
We need to consider ideas that radical.=20
"The environment is many times the first victim of budget cuts,'' said =
Gary Mechanic, who heads the Access Project for the Illinois Paddling =
Council, a statewide umbrella for paddling clubs. "That is really =
backward. That is the first thing we ought to take care. In bad times, =
land is cheaper, and we ought to buy it.''=20
The best way to do that is through dedicated funding. To translate: =
taxes. This is not a new idea. It has been brought up many times in that =
paper tiger, Conservation Congress. In states where dedicated funding =
for conservation has worked, it is generally through a small percentage =
of the sales tax. It is not fool-proof. Funding goes down proportionally =
when economic times are bad.=20
"The political climate has become pretty charged against any tax =
increase so that legislators are reluctant to go out on a limb,'' said =
Jack Darin, director of the 25,000-member Sierra Club, Illinois chapter. =
"But the debate touched off by the Governor's budget cuts has energized =
the conservation community. That may prove new support.''=20
Support for dedicated funding would have to overcome the bitter turf =
wars -- greenies vs. consumptive users, hunters vs. birders -- that fill =
the conservation arena.=20
"You can't divvy up the pie until you get it,'' the board member said.=20
It might work. I talked with a full spectrum in conservation and feel =
confident that the time might be right to push through dedicated =
funding.=20
"This is something birdwatchers and bowhunters and everyone in between =
can get excited about,'' Darin said. "From soccer moms to wild turkey =
hunters, there are so many people who have a stake in the recreational =
and quality of life benefits. The coalition would be city, suburban and =
rural; Democrat and Republican. It would be as broad a spectrum as you =
could want in public policy.''=20
"I think we could get a pretty good steamroller going [for dedicated =
funding],'' said Bob Becker, president of the Illinois Federation for =
Outdoor Resources, an umbrella of 115 organizations representing 75,000 =
traditional outdoor users. "It is pretty sad what [Blagojevich has] on =
the table right now.''=20
"I will go out on a limb and say we would support it,'' said Jerry =
Gille, president of the United Bowhunters of Illinois. "But you would =
have to assure us the money was going [for proper usages] and not to =
send people to conferences in Las Vegas. When you look at the Department =
of Natural Resources, you see some fluff, at the top end, generally.''=20
"The question is, do people trust what the money is being used for?'' =
Darin said. "I think hands down they are all for conservation, =
Democrats, Republicans and independents. Politicians, because of waste =
in other program areas, are trying to position themselves as anti-tax =
candidates. Many have taken no-tax-of-any-kind pledges. The difficulty =
of overcoming that is greater than convincing anyone of the need for =
conservation.''=20
"The more DNR is supported outside of the vagaries of the political =
winds, the better it is for plants and animals,'' Mechanic said. "They =
don't get to vote.''=20
Dale Bowman may be reached at dale@DaleBowman.com. "Bowman's Outdoor =
Line'' is heard on "Outdoors with Mike Norris'' (3-4 p.m. Thursdays, =
1280-AM).
BIRDING=20
Thursday: 2004 Midewin Explorations Lecture Series, ''The Grassland =
Birds of Midewin,'' Dr. Jim Herkert, 7 p.m., (815) 423-6370.=20
Saturday: Karen Furnweger's ''Bringing Back the Whoopers,'' keys Birding =
America VI, North Park University; www.chicagoaudubon.org, (773) =
539-6793.
Alan B. Anderson
casresearch@comcast.net=20
Des Plaines, Cook Co.
=20
www.chicagoaudubon.org
_____ =20
Yahoo! Groups Links
* To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fpfriends/
=20
* To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
fpfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com =
<mailto:fpfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=3DUnsubscribe>=20
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<http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> .=20
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<DIV><SPAN class=3D440504123-09032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>I am=20
really taken aback by this article. Funding for OSLAD and NAAF is =
from the=20
Real Estate Transfer Tax. The property tax code specifically says =
that 35%=20
of the moneys collected from the Real Estate Transfer Tax shall be =
deposited=20
into the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Fund and 15% into =
the=20
Natural Areas Acquisition Fund. (The other 50% goes into the =
Illinois=20
Affordable Housing Trust Fund.) Even dedicated funds aren't=20
immune!!</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D440504123-09032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3D440504123-09032004><FONT face=3DArial color=3D#0000ff =
size=3D2>Joyce=20
O'Keefe</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV class=3DOutlookMessageHeader dir=3Dltr align=3Dleft><FONT =
face=3DTahoma=20
size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Alan Anderson=20
[mailto:casresearch@comcast.net]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, March 07, =
2004 8:29=20
PM<BR><B>To:</B> Forest Preserve Friends; BCNnet =
Listserv<BR><B>Subject:</B>=20
[fpfriends] looking at other funding ideas for IDNR Natural=20
Areas<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>From today's Sunday =
Sun-Times:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cst-spt-bowman07.html">ht=
tp://www.suntimes.com/output/outdoors/cst-spt-bowman07.html</A></FONT></D=
IV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial> </FONT>=20
<H2>Budget cuts might make time right for dedicated funding </H2><FONT =
face=3Darial,helvetica,sans-serif size=3D2>
<P>
<P><I>March 7, 2004</I>=20
<P><B>BY DALE BOWMAN STAFF REPORTER=20
</B><!-- Empty line is needed =
--></SCRIPT><NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT><BR></TD></TR></TABLE>
<P>
<P>
<P>
<P><!--publication CST --><!--pub_section SPT last modified 3/5/04 =
10:10 PM-->
<P><!--startdrop-->We can whine about the pathetic state of =
conservation=20
funding under Gov. Blagojevich. Or we can use desperation to drive =
creativity.=20
<P>
<P>
<P>Last week, a member of the Natural Resources Advisory Board and I =
kicked=20
around ideas for stable funding of the Illinois Department of Natural=20
Resources.=20
<P>Things are so desperate he floated the idea of selling waterfront =
property=20
along lakes like Shelbyville. I told him the idea stunk. Shelbyville =
is one of=20
our most beautiful lakes. But part of me knows that would be a =
tremendous=20
one-time fix for IDNR. Things are that bad. We need to consider ideas =
that=20
radical.=20
<P>"The environment is many times the first victim of budget cuts,'' =
said Gary=20
Mechanic, who heads the Access Project for the Illinois Paddling =
Council, a=20
statewide umbrella for paddling clubs. "That is really backward. That =
is the=20
first thing we ought to take care. In bad times, land is cheaper, and =
we ought=20
to buy it.''=20
<P>The best way to do that is through dedicated funding. To translate: =
taxes.=20
This is not a new idea. It has been brought up many times in that =
paper tiger,=20
Conservation Congress. In states where dedicated funding for =
conservation has=20
worked, it is generally through a small percentage of the sales tax. =
It is not=20
fool-proof. Funding goes down proportionally when economic times are =
bad.=20
<P>"The political climate has become pretty charged against any tax =
increase=20
so that legislators are reluctant to go out on a limb,'' said Jack =
Darin,=20
director of the 25,000-member Sierra Club, Illinois chapter. "But the =
debate=20
touched off by the Governor's budget cuts has energized the =
conservation=20
community. That may prove new support.''=20
<P>Support for dedicated funding would have to overcome the bitter =
turf wars=20
-- greenies vs. consumptive users, hunters vs. birders -- that fill =
the=20
conservation arena.=20
<P>"You can't divvy up the pie until you get it,'' the board member =
said.=20
<P>It might work. I talked with a full spectrum in conservation and =
feel=20
confident that the time might be right to push through dedicated =
funding.=20
<P>"This is something birdwatchers and bowhunters and everyone in =
between can=20
get excited about,'' Darin said. "From soccer moms to wild turkey =
hunters,=20
there are so many people who have a stake in the recreational and =
quality of=20
life benefits. The coalition would be city, suburban and rural; =
Democrat and=20
Republican. It would be as broad a spectrum as you could want in =
public=20
policy.''=20
<P>"I think we could get a pretty good steamroller going [for =
dedicated=20
funding],'' said Bob Becker, president of the Illinois Federation for =
Outdoor=20
Resources, an umbrella of 115 organizations representing 75,000 =
traditional=20
outdoor users. "It is pretty sad what [Blagojevich has] on the table =
right=20
now.''=20
<P>"I will go out on a limb and say we would support it,'' said Jerry =
Gille,=20
president of the United Bowhunters of Illinois. "But you would have to =
assure=20
us the money was going [for proper usages] and not to send people to=20
conferences in Las Vegas. When you look at the Department of Natural=20
Resources, you see some fluff, at the top end, generally.''=20
<P>"The question is, do people trust what the money is being used =
for?'' Darin=20
said. "I think hands down they are all for conservation, Democrats,=20
Republicans and independents. Politicians, because of waste in other =
program=20
areas, are trying to position themselves as anti-tax candidates. Many =
have=20
taken no-tax-of-any-kind pledges. The difficulty of overcoming that is =
greater=20
than convincing anyone of the need for conservation.''=20
<P>"The more DNR is supported outside of the vagaries of the political =
winds,=20
the better it is for plants and animals,'' Mechanic said. "They don't =
get to=20
vote.''=20
<P>
<P><I><I>Dale Bowman may be reached at </I></I>dale@DaleBowman.com.=20
<I><I>"Bowman's Outdoor Line'' is heard on "Outdoors with Mike =
Norris'' (3-4=20
p.m. Thursdays, 1280-AM).</I></I></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>BIRDING</FONT></STRONG> </P>
<P>
<P>
<P><B>Thursday: </B>2004 Midewin Explorations Lecture Series, ''The =
Grassland=20
Birds of Midewin,'' Dr. Jim Herkert, 7 p.m., (815) 423-6370.=20
<P><B>Saturday: </B>Karen Furnweger's ''Bringing Back the Whoopers,'' =
keys=20
Birding America VI, North Park University; =
<I>www.chicagoaudubon.org,</I>=20
(773) 539-6793.</P></FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Alan B. Anderson<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:casresearch@comcast.net">casresearch@comcast.net</A> =
<BR>Des=20
Plaines, Cook Co.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><A=20
=
href=3D"http://www.chicagoaudubon.org">www.chicagoaudubon.org</A></FONT><=
/DIV><!-- |**|begin egp html banner|**| --><BR><TT>
<HR width=3D500>
<B>Yahoo! Groups Links</B><BR>
<UL>
<LI>To visit your group on the web, go to:<BR><A=20
=
href=3D"http://groups.yahoo.com/group/fpfriends/">http://groups.yahoo.com=
/group/fpfriends/</A><BR> =20
<LI>To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:<BR><A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:fpfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=3DUnsubscrib=
e">fpfriends-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com</A><BR> =20
<LI>Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the <A=20
href=3D"http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/">Yahoo! Terms of =
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