Furthermore, the law that allows the diversion of these funds from the 4 dedicated funds to the General Fund did sunset on July 1, 2012. What this means is that unless the General Assembly ONCE AGAIN targets these funds in the Appropriations Bill, these conservation funds will be safe forever. (Well, unless YET ANOTHER law is passed to allow the diversion or the outright dissolution of the “dedicated” mechanism.)

Here’s what at stake:

The State Lands Acquisition Fund will be funded with $3,087,500;
the Local Parks & Recreation Fund has been appropriated $3,718,700;
the Wetlands Fund will receive $6,521,300;
and the Agriculture Resources Conservation Fund will receive $3,187,500.

This is $16,515,000 for clean water, woods and wildlife; for local and state parks; and for the economy.  Forever Green Tennessee for our children’s future!

Now, fellow Tennesseans, it’s up to us to make sure that the General Assembly keeps these funds in their final, approved budget. We will monitor the finance hearings and keep you posted. But this is a huge step in the right direction for the Tennessee Real Estate Transfer Funds and the Forever Green Tennessee coalition!  Thank you Governor Haslam!

]]> http://forevergreentn.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/thank-you-gov-bill-haslam/feed/ 0 forevergreentn http://forevergreentn.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/comptroller-wilson-to-speak-today-on-the-real-estate-transfer-funds/ http://forevergreentn.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/comptroller-wilson-to-speak-today-on-the-real-estate-transfer-funds/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:18:52 +0000 forevergreentn http://forevergreentn.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/comptroller-wilson-to-speak-today-on-the-real-estate-transfer-funds/ ]]> We are encouraged that Governor Haslam and his administration support the restoration of the Real Estate Transfer Funds, which will automatically occur July 1, 2012, as currently written in state law. But we must remain vigilant in tracking our conservation funding. As part of the budget passage last year, an amendment was approved that required a review of how our conservation funding is needed and used. Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Justin Wilson will be making a presentation TODAY, January 24, 2012, to the House Finance Committee. The meeting is at 3 p.m. in room 16 of Legislative Plaza. We encourage your participation and attendance! With your support and work, we will Forever Green Tennessee.  

State Lands Acquisition Fund: $3,087,500
Local Parks & Recreation Fund: $3,718,700
Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund: $3,187,500
The Wetlands Fund: $6,506,300

THANK YOU to our conservation-minded Governor, the Honorable Bill Haslam. Thank you to members of the Senate & House Finance Committees, with a special thanks to Sen. Mark Norris, Sen. Jamie Woodson, Sen. Bill Ketron, Sen. Douglas Henry and Sen. Bo Watson; Rep. Charles Sargent, Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, and Rep. Steve McDaniel.

Thank you to everyone who made a call, sent an e-mail or wrote a letter to a legislator; to those of you who put a bumper sticker on your car or a sign in your yard; to those of you who signed a petition or joined our coalition.

Together, we CAN Forever Green Tennessee!

In this photo:

Bottom Row, from Left:
Jeanne Nelson (Land Trust for Tennessee), Stewart Clifton (TN Conservation Voters), Kathleen Williams (TN Parks & Greenways Foundation), Governor Bill Haslam, Melinda Welton (TN Ornithological Society), John Noel (Southern Alliance for Clean Energy), Gary Myers (former director, TN Wildlife Resources Agency)

Middle Row, from Left:
Neal Appelbaum (Stones River Watershed Assn.), Danny Sells (TN Association of Conservation Districts), Anne Ross (TCV), Daniel Boone (TN Scenic River Association), Bill Terry (TCV & Sierra Club), Donnie Safer (TN Environmental Council)

Top Row, from Left:
Rex Boner (The Conservation Fund), Mike Butler (TN Wildlife Fund), Rep. Ryan Williams (Save Cummins Falls committee), Bob Tuke (representing several historical and conservation organizations), Mike Murphy (Sierra Club), Ralph Knoll (The Conservation Fund)

Over the next few weeks both the Senate and House Finance Committees will discuss and vote on all budgetary amendments, and hopefully before the Memorial Day weekend all parties will have agreed on a budget (one that includes the Transfer Funds, of course!), and the Governor will sign it into law.

Like last year, we will monitor the Finance Committees and keep you apprised of any news — good OR bad — and we’ll ask your help with phone calls/e-mails/letters should that be the case. But we are cautiously optimistic that the Transfer Fees are SAFE this year. Once they are, the approximate $16 million will continue to work for our woods, wildlife and water; will continue to set aside land for state parks and natural areas; will continue to fund improvements and developments at local parks; and will continue to clean up streams next to farms and protect our precious wetlands.

If you would like to be added to our “MyEmma” (e-mail blast) list, please send an e-mail to forevergreentn@tenngreen.org.

Thanks, and STAY TUNED!

Many thanks to the following Task Force Members who were in attendance:

Mike Murphy (Sierra Club)
Hugh Travis (Boy Scouts of America)
Daniel Boone (TSRA)
Danny Sells (TN Association of Conservation Districts)
Gary Myers (retired director of TWRA)
Gina Hancock (The Nature Conservancy and co-chair of the Forever Green Tennessee campaign)
Stewart Clifton (TN Conservation Voters)
Chris Roberts (Land Trust for Tennessee)
John Noel (SACE)
Bob Tuke (Historic Organizations; TN Parks & Greenways Foundation)
Kathleen Williams (TPGF and co-chair of the Forever Green Tennessee campaign)

We were also joined by Rep. Kelly Keisling and his legislative assistant Steven Altum.

We began the meeting by showing the 12-minute “Forever Green Tennessee” video (produced last year), and then we went around the room introducing ourselves and saying briefly what the funds mean to each organization. It was very obvious that the Funds have made a huge impact in Tennessee over the past 20 years: The Ag Fund was distributed to farmers in all 95 counties in 2010; the Funds leverage millions of federal dollars that TN would lose if not for the availability of matching funds provided by the Real Estate Transfer Funds; and hundreds of thousands of acres have been acquired and/or protected over the years. Former TWRA Director Gary Myers also gave Dep. Gov. Ramsey the handout showing where all of the SLAF and LPRF dollars have gone since 1991.

 The meeting went very well, and Dep. Gov. Ramsey seemed very supportive of the Transfer Funds and knowledgeable of them and their contributions to the State. (Especially what they’ve accomplished in Hamilton County, where Mr. Ramsey was previously the County Executive.)

Unfortunately, he would not comment on their inclusion nor exclusion from Gov. Haslam’s budget, which will be announced on Monday, March 14.

Thanks to all who attended. The next step is to cross our fingers that Gov. Haslam HAS included these Funds in his proposed budget … as we remember from 2010, that is 90% of the battle!

We will update this Blog next week … as soon as we hear about Haslam’s budget!

Rep. Mike Harrison (left) supports a "Forever Green Tennessee"! (He is joined by Kathleen Williams, TPGF; Gary Myers, TWRA; and Ashley Heeren, TPGF)

To see the press release and list of grantees, CLICK HERE