State Budget Hearins w/ GovThanks, Jim, for your report.  Today this
slightly edited message came on I-CALL from Iowa Environmental Council.

I-CALL Action Alert--to alert you to a series of public budget meetings
Governor Vilsack and Lt. Governor Sally Pederson are holding. They will
present on current state finances and then open the meeting for public
comments. This is a rare opportunity for you to be directly heard and we
urge you to show up and tell stories of how natural resources state funding
affects YOU.

We are going to face another challenging year for natural resources
spending, and we need to express our support for REAP, county conservation
boards, Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship conservation
programs, Department of Natural Resources water, energy, other vital
programs and more. We need to tell personal stories of positive economic
impacts resulting from conservation spending, highlight quality of life
issues, and stress the importance of leaving our children and grandchildren
a clean and safe environment.

The two remaining public meetings are:

Monday, December 15
5 p.m.
Des Moines Area Community College
Building 6, Auditorium
2006 South Ankeny Blvd.
Ankeny

Wednesday, December 17
6 p.m.
Eastern Iowa Community College
Kahl Educational Center, Rooms 104-106
306 West Third Street
Davenport

If you cannot make these meetings, we would urge you to send Governor
Vilsack a letter or e-mail. E-Mail the Governor, Lt. Governor or First Lady
by visiting
http://www.governor.state.ia.us/comments/capitol_correspond/index.html.
Responses to you will be by U.S. Mail. This needs to happen very shortly as
the Governor is right now forming the fiscal budget for 2004/2005 to present
to the legislature in January.

Please inform us or your involvement and send a copy of your communication
to:

Rebecca Kauten
Communications Director
Iowa Environmental Council
711 East Locust Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
(515) 244-1194, x13
[log in to unmask]

Thank you and have a happy and safe holiday season.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
 http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp