[BCNnet] BCNnet: It's Time to Get Serious about conservation funding cuts!
Birdchris@aol.com
Birdchris@aol.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2004 21:54:12 EST
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Doug Chien of Sierra Club posted up to BCNnet a few weeks ago an
advertisement regarding Sierra Club's Lobby Day on March 25 in Springfield. I would urge
everyone to focus on tried-and-true lobbying methods to get conservation
funding back into the budget. Meeting the Governor like John suggested will happen
through the environmental groups (including BCN), but it's not necessarily
going to accomplish anything.
The Governor is being "worked on" by the professional environmental lobbyists
and the Illinois Environmental Council is pulling many many user groups
together into a big coalition specifically to fight to dave the fundings. But Gov.
Blago has a budget director, John Filan, who is really ruthless and really
stubborn. It's not at all unlikely that the Governor will continue to blame the
cuts on the Office of Budget Management and not budget.
The only real way to stop this rape and pillage is to talk to your state
senator and representative and let them know how much you care about this issue.
The last line of defense on the budget is the state legislature. You've had a
lot of fact sheets on BCNnet, I just sent a message which tell syou how to get
more info about the issue, and you'll get an action alert soon. So if you
can't come to Springfield, you'll have info at your fingertips to call or write
your legislators.
But to my knowledge, birders have NEVER EVER gone to the state capitol to
fight for a bird conservation issue. Now is your chance to do it with a reputable
environmental group that will train you in lobbying techniques, provide you
with staff support and even FEED you while you're at the capitol. If you've
never lobbied in Springfield, you should try it. It's very educational and
exciting.
I'll be there and I hope to see a lot of birders there.
If you want to join Sierra Club's Lobby Day on March 25, please call the
Chapter office at 312/251-1680 and ask for Jennifer Hensley or send an email to
jennifer.hensley@sierraclub.org.
Christine Williamson
Chicago/Cook
birdchris@aol.com
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<DIV>Doug Chien of Sierra Club posted up to BCNnet a few weeks ago an a=
dvertisement regarding Sierra Club's Lobby Day on March 25 in Springfie=
ld. I would urge everyone to focus on tried-and-true lobbying methods to get=
conservation funding back into the budget. Meeting the Governor like John s=
uggested will happen through the environmental groups (including BCN), but i=
t's not necessarily going to accomplish anything. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Governor is being "worked on" by the professional environmental lob=
byists and the Illinois Environmental Council is pulling many many user grou=
ps together into a big coalition specifically to fight to dave the fundings.=
But Gov. Blago has a budget director, John Filan, who is really ruthle=
ss and really stubborn. It's not at all unlikely that the Governor will cont=
inue to blame the cuts on the Office of Budget Management and not budget. </=
DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The only real way to stop this rape and pillage is to talk to your=
state senator and representative and let them know how much you care about=20=
this issue. The last line of defense on the budget is the state legislature.=
You've had a lot of fact sheets on BCNnet, I just sent a message which tell=
syou how to get more info about the issue, and you'll get an action alert s=
oon. So if you can't come to Springfield, you'll have info at your fingertip=
s to call or write your legislators.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But to my knowledge, birders have NEVER EVER gone to the state capitol=20=
to fight for a bird conservation issue. Now is your chance to do it with a r=
eputable environmental group that will train you in lobbying techniques, pro=
vide you with staff support and even FEED you while you're at the capitol. I=
f you've never lobbied in Springfield, you should try it. It's very educatio=
nal and exciting. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I'll be there and I hope to see a lot of birders there.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you want to join Sierra Club's Lobby Day on March 25, please call th=
e Chapter office at 312/251-1680 and ask for Jennifer Hensley or send an ema=
il to <A href=3D"mailto:jennifer.hensley@sierraclub.org">jennifer.hensley@si=
erraclub.org</A>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Christine Williamson</DIV>
<DIV>Chicago/Cook</DIV>
<DIV><A href=3D"mailto:birdchris@aol.com">birdchris@aol.com</A></DIV></BODY>=
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