Friends, as we here in Nashville continue to deal with the devastation and aftermath of our extreme flooding this past weekend, we are reminded that LIFE GOES ON, and nowhere is that more evident than at the Tennessee General Assembly!
Our lawmakers are meeting, discussing, politicking and VOTING on the future of our great state and the future of the TENNESSEE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FUNDS. Kathleen (TN Parks & Greenways Foundation Exec. Director) and I spent last week and yesterday at the hill, and we continue to hear conflicting reports from Senators and Representatives. Some say we’re safe, that the Real Estate Transfer Funds rank just above Education as being “off limits.” This is good news. Some say that our chances are “grim.” This is bad news. We won’t know the outcome until it’s too late, but until then we continue to FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT. Will you help us?
It’s not too late! PLEASE, as we’ve been begging and urging for months now, PLEASE contact your legislators and let them know that NOW, more than ever, conservation is IMPORTANT. Yes, Tennessee is in a budgetary crisis. Yes, most of Tennessee is in an environmental crisis with the recent flooding. But the time is NOW. If we don’t start planning for our future today, it may be too late.
The Tennessee Real Estate Transfer Funds represent only one-tenth of 1 percent of the state’s $28 Billion budget. In the grand scheme of things, this is miniscule, but for the environmental future of our state, it’s HUGE. We need your help. We need your voice. We need your fingers dialing and e-mailing. Please see our “Senators & Reps” page on this blog for a list of the Legislators that REALLY need to hear from our environmental community. PLEASE CALL/E-MAIL THEM, EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT “YOUR” LEGISLATORS. And for good measure, call your Legislators even if they do not appear on our “targeted” list. (To find out who your legislators are based on your address, check out the TN General Assembly website at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us).
Kathleen and I are headed back to the Hill this morning. We’ve heard that the vote may very well take place TODAY. The time is NOW. Please call these legislators before 1 p.m. CDT. We will post updates from the Hill as we have more information.
Thank you.
Forever Green Tennessee 
More now than ever, we need to protect and cherish what we’ve had “free” before. Please keep these funds available to this vital cause.