[BCNnet] FW: [openspace] Talking Points for hrngs

[Donald R. Dann]

BCN people;

Here's a revision of the "Talking Points" for speaking before one of the
Madigan budget hearings, as per my prior email.  

Donnie  

Donald R. Dann
President, on behalf of the Executive Committee
Bird Conservation Network
Ph/Fx 847-266-2222
Email donniebird at yahoo.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Kelm [mailto:davekelm at hotmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 3:09 PM
To: Openspace (E-mail)
Subject: [openspace] Talking Points for hrngs

We will continue to revise as needed.  Thanks to all of our volunteers.  If
you have any questions, let me know - Dave Kelm-217-836-2082

PPW talking points for budget hearing:
 
* I am a member of Partners for Parks and Wildlife, a coalition organized to
seek stable state funding for open space and natural areas acquisition, park
development and natural resource management. This coalition is comprised of
Illinois parks, environmental, conservation, outdoor recreation and
sportsmen groups. 
 
* We urge the General Assembly and the Administration to consider that
Illinois currently ranks 48th out of the 50 states in the amount of public
parkland available to residents. In some parts of the state, land prices
have risen by double-digit inflation rates. Now is the right  time to
include stable and increased open space acquisition priorities in  the state
budget. 
 
* Currently, demand for state funding far exceeds availability of funds.
Between 1986 and 2004, Illinois had requests for $366 million in state
funding through the Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development grant
program for projects involving land acquisition, natural areas management
and park development. Only about 54 percent of that total was awarded to
local park and conservation agencies because adequate funding is simply not
available. 
 
* Funding for land acquisition and park development is an investment in
Illinois as these programs contribute significantly to the state  economy.
Approximately $225.5 million has been invested in construction  and union
labor jobs as a result of park and conservation funding. And an  additional
$184.5 million has been spent with Illinois businesses on  materials for
park development. 
 
* Leave time here for a local or regional focus
 
* Parks, recreation and natural resource management are a tremendous
economic force in Illinois. These agencies employ a total of nearly 63,000
persons each year. 
 
* Illinois park and conservation agencies generated a total of $371 million
in capital investment for development of new parks, natural areas and park
facilities, of which about $337 million was captured by in-state suppliers,
supporting about 4,000 construction jobs, with associated earnings of about
$185 million. 
 
* In addition, these preserved natural areas and developed park facilities
generate tourism dollars for many Illinois communities through eco-tourism
opportunities, youth and adult sports tournaments and outdoor recreation, to
name just a few. 
 
* We also urge the General Assembly and the Administration to take a closer
look at how the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and natural
resource management are funded. Over the course of the last two years, the
IDNR has cut more than one hundred positions. Many of these are long-term,
front-line employees. These professional, dedicated employees have workloads
that cannot be transferred to other non-trained personnel.
 
* Over the next few years, these staff cuts endanger the preservation of
wetlands, acquisition of endangered prairie and the appropriate management
of wildlife. The cuts directly affect the public¹s ability to visit state
parks. And they negatively affect educational programs in our state¹s
elementary and secondary schools.
 
* Our struggle to reinstate these vital land acquisition and park
development programs into last year¹s budget was acknowledged and supported
by nearly every newspaper editorial board in the state of Illinois. They
knew, as we do, that our land is precious, and that when it is gone to
development, it is gone forever. Please give a priority to stable funding
for open space and natural areas acquisition, park development and natural
resource management and provide much-needed increases when the state budget
recovers as expected.
 
* We would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Legislative Leaders and
staff to discuss ways we can work together to accomplish these goals.
 

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