The tax, yielding about $1.1 million annually, provides the Leopold Center's budget for research grants, demonstration projects, education, etc. The Republicans today approved putting the million $ into the general fund, thus eliminating research and education programs at the LC. Bill Witt -----Original Message----- From: Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Charles Winterwood Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 5:05 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Fwd: Action Alert- Budget Cuts Threaten Iowa Environmental Programs Is the tax on herbicides,pesticides, and fertilizers directed to things like the Leopold Center or does it just go in the general fund? Charlie Winterwood --- William Witt <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > The Leopold Center is under ISU, but it is largely > funded through a tax on > herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer. I believe > the Republicans are > killing it as a favor to a number of special > interests, especially the > ag-chem dealers and their lobbyist, Mona Bond. > (They sliced off the funding > for ICASH at the U of I last year, without > explanation--but the > beneficiaries are the same.) > > Governor Vilsack indicated that he is going to > approve the revised FY 03 > budget that the Republicans will jam down our > throats next Tuesday. That > will mean a 80 percent cut to REAP, 66 percent cut > to NRCS cost-share, and > so on. Those programs will suffer mightily, but > they can be revived. But > the Leopold Center, once strangled, will not > recover. I urged him to > line-item veto the Leopold Center cut, since he will > be authorized to draw > down additional funds as needed from the cash > reserve account. > > Bill Witt > > -----Original Message----- > From: Iowa Discussion, Alerts and Announcements > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf > Of Charles Winterwood > Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2002 3:12 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Fwd: Action Alert- Budget Cuts > Threaten Iowa Environmental > Programs > > iS THE lEOPOLD cENTER UNDER THE isu BUDGET OR THE > dEPT. OF aG BUDGET OR ITS OWN BUDGET? > > c > CHARLIE > > --- Peggy Murdock <[log in to unmask]> > wrote: > > Someone should write up a report on the tax breaks > > that are given to CAFOs, > > naming names, and relate this directly to the > budget > > shortfall. I > > > > Peggy Murdock > > > > At 12:09 PM 5/22/2002 -0400, you wrote: > > >ACTION ALERT from the Iowa Environmental Council: > > >BUDGET CUTS COULD CLOSE THE LEOPOLD CENTER > > > > > >The Governor will convene a special session of > the > > Legislature next > > >Tuesday, May 28 to deal with the state's > deepening > > budget crises. More > > >cuts need to be made to the coming fiscal year > > (FY03) budget in light of > > >reduced revenue projections. > > > > > >In the proposed Republican budget-released > > yesterday-environmental funding > > >takes a disproportionately large cut. > > > > > >Environmental programs currently get only 1.2% of > > general fund and > > >infrastructure appropriations, but 9% of the > > proposed cuts comes on the > > >back of environmental programs. Iowa already is > > last in the nation in per > > >capita spending on the environment, and the > > proposed cuts put us even > > >farther behind. If the cuts take effect, Iowa > will > > spend only 0.7% of the > > >state budget on environmental protection. > > > > > >The tragedy of these cuts and anemic funding is > > that these environmental > > >programs are proactive, preventative solutions to > > problems. Iowa's > > >environmental initiatives are some of the most > > cost-effective public > > >expenditures, when we consider the cost of clean > up > > or restoration after > > >damage has already occurred. They're in line > with > > a core Iowa value-"An > > >ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." > > Today's costs for these > > >programs are minuscule compared to the benefits > > Iowa receives for the > > >tomorrows to come. > > > > > >You need to contact Legislators and the Governor > > before Tuesday and tell > > >them to protect Iowa's environmental spending in > > the Environment First > > >Fund, and particularly the Leopold Center for > > Sustainable Agriculture. > > > > > >*************************************** > > >ENVIRONMENT FIRST FUND > > > > > >The Council is shocked at the proposed cuts to > the > > Environment First > > >Fund. This fund was created just two years ago > and > > was hailed as a great > > >step forward in Iowa's commitment to the > > environment. The proposed budget > > >cuts this fund by 53%-to less than $12.4 million > > out. > > > > > >The Environment First Fund includes > appropriations > > for the following > > >programs, among others: > > > > > >Farm Demonstration Program > > >REAP > > >Ag Drainage Well closure > > >Soil Conservation Cost Sharing > > >Brownfield Redevelopment > > >Geographic Information System Development > > >Wetland Incentive Program > > >Watershed Protection Plan > > >Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program > > >Water Quality Monitoring > > >Volunteer Water Monitoring (IOWATER) > > >Water Quality Protection > > >Air Quality Monitoring Program > > >Lake Dredging > > > > > >While not all of these programs suffer cuts, > > several programs are > > >completely eliminated in the Republican's > > budget-such as Brownfield > > >Redevelopment and Farm Demonstration. Others are > > severely cut. REAP > > >suffers an 80% cut, from $10 million to $2 > > million-ending many local > > >community improvement projects. > > > > > > > > >************************************* > > >LEOPOLD CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE > > > > > >Of particular concern to the Council is the > drastic > > cut to the Leopold > > >Center for Sustainable Agriculture. On the table > > is a cut of $1 million, > > >reducing the Center's budget by 86%. The budget > > cut from $1.16 million > > >last year to less than $200,000 effectively ends > > this nationally > > >recognized, innovative program supporting > > sustainable agricultural > > >development. > > > > > >Losing the Leopold Center would be a catastrophe. > > The Center serves as an > > >incubator for sustainable agricultural practices > > that will pay significant > > >dividends down the road-in cleaner water, less > soil > > erosion, and greater > > >agricultural vitality. These budget cuts to the > > Leopold Center today > > >sacrifice significant economic and environmental > > benefits tomorrow. > > > > > >The Leopold Center has helped advance such > > promising innovations as: > > > > > >… The buffer strip/watershed reconstruction > > project at Bear Creek-which > > >has been designated as a National Demonstration > > Watershed. Expanding use > > >of the practices learned in Bear Creek > drastically > > reduces soil erosion, > > >improves water quality, and expands wildlife > > habitat. > > >… Hoop house hog confinement systems-which are > > environmentally and > > >animal friendly. > > >… Early support for Iowa's grape and wine > > industry-which has the > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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