Posted on 05/27/2004 6:11:18 AM PDT by forester
DATE: MAY 2, 2004
TO: ALL GRASSROOTS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS . . . . . . . . . . . (PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR LIST OF CONTACTS)
FROM: ROSE COMSTOCK - PRESIDENT - ALLIANCE FOR AMERICA www.allianceforamerica.org
WHAT: Wednesday of this week the California Assembly Appropriations Committee approved two bills that would establish a Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
Governor Schwarzenegger has indicated that he intends to create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy during his first term in office. These two bills-AB 1788 and AB 2600-present radically different ways of doing so.
AB 2600 by Assemblyman Laird (D-Santa Cruz) would give Sierra residents virtually no say in the conservancy's operations. In contrast, AB 1788 by Assemblyman Leslie (R-Tahoe City) would create an entirely new type of conservancy. It would ensure that a large portion of the conservancy board is comprised of locally-elected officials, and it would give local communities the right to say "no" to projects they find objectionable.
Yesterday, however, staff members of the Appropriations Committee removed the parts of AB 1788 that gave local communities a "veto" power over objectionable projects.
Assemblyman Leslie has stated unequivocally that he will actively oppose any Conservancy language that does not provide local communities a point of real leverage in the decision-making process. If he cannot amend AB 1788 and return meaningful local influence to the bill, he wishes to "assure the residents of the Sierra that he will drop his own bill and actively oppose any attempts at creation of a conservancy-regardless of the possibility that AB 2600 may become the law of California."
ACTION: There is only a small window of opportunity to generate pressure to reinstate language that ensures strong local voice in the conservancy decision-making process! Both bills are headed for the Assembly Floor next week. Governor Schwarzenegger, the Resources Agency, and members of the Assembly need to hear from you! Governor Schwarzenegger can still intervene, but he will only do that if he gets strong pressure from all of us. Make your calls beginning Monday, May 24th, send your faxed letter and emails all next week until a vote occurs.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger http://www.governor.ca.gov/state/govsite/gov_homepage.jsp State Capitol Building Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-445-2841 Fax: 916-445-4633 governor@governor.ca.gov
Secretary of Resources Mike Chrisman
California Resources Agency Sacramento, CA 95812-2815 Phone: (916) 653-5656 (916) 653-8102 fax http://resources.ca.gov/
Assistant to the Secretary for Resources: Cynthia J. Paulsen Cyndy.Paulsen@Resources.Ca.Gov
Members of the State Assembly
To find your State Assembly member: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/
TALKING POINTS:
- Any proposed conservancy gives us cause for serious concern. Countless problems have been created in our region by state employees with no accountability to the people and little connection to the areas their decisions impact. Like the Governor, it is our desire to see government become more responsive and connected to the people, not less so.
- If there is to be a Sierra Nevada Conservancy, it must be built upon respect for and collaboration with the people who live in the Sierra.
- Such a conservancy can be established only if its design requires collaborative decision-making. The Conservancy board must contain strong representation from the Sierra region, and, more importantly, any major board action must be based upon general consensus with local elected officials.
- Local governments are responsible for local land use planning and decisions, and are held accountable by their constituents for such decisions. Unless local government has the ability to say "no" to conservancy acquisitions it finds objectionable, the conservancy will have the power to approve acquisitions with no local oversight.
- Giving local communities a true voice would be unique for a conservancy. However, any conservancy stretching across the entire Sierra Nevada would be unique. No existing conservancy contains the vast area, diverse sub-regions, and varied land uses encompassed by the Sierras.
- The best government efforts always draw from the perspective, volunteerism, and commitment of local communities. By ensuring the conservancy only undertakes projects embraced by local communities, we can create the goodwill and trust critical to effective efforts.
- In addition, a new conservancy must not be funded on the backs of taxpayers. How can Sacramento lawmakers justify crating another agency in the business of buying up more land, while the state is dealing with a severe budget deficit affecting education, healthcare, fire protection and other vital services? Unless its funding is drawn from existing conservation programs, new conservancy would only add to the existing budget burden the state is facing.
Background:
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm - AB1788 Leslie This bill creates the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) in the Resources Agency, with a governing board consisting of 20 voting members and three non-voting members, to acquire, and direct the management, of public lands located primarily within the "Core Sierra Nevada Region."
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm - AB2600 Laird This bill creates the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) in the Resources Agency, with a governing board consisting of seven voting members and three non-voting members to undertake activities that encourage tourism and recreation, protect, conserve, and restore the region's resources, reduce the risk of natural disaster, protect water quality, help local economies, identify high priority projects for funding, enhance public use and enjoyment of public lands, and advance environmental preservation and economic well-being.
http://forests.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=31721
In the Heights of Sierra, It's Hard to Give an Inch Source: Copyright 2004, LA Times Date: May 16, 2004 Byline: Julie Cart, Times Staff Writer
The Sierra Nevada's rural communities share more than 400 miles of the granite mountain range and an unswerving conviction that the region should not be dictated to from afar.
But that independent streak threatens to scuttle a five-year effort to create a Sierra Nevada Conservancy, which could funnel millions of dollars to the economically depressed region while protecting its vaunted scenery and natural resources.
Two bills in the Assembly that would create a conservancy could be defeated as a result of the region's reluctance to cede authority to outsiders and because of fear that too much land will be put off-limits to hunting, fishing, livestock grazing and other traditional activities.
Originally posted at: http://www.latimes.com/news/science/environment/la-me-sierra16may16,1,6491835.story?coll=la-news-environment
Hey FF, what about sending out a ping for review of this really well thought out letter?
What would you suggest as an appropriate title that conveys the message that socialist legislation threatens our way of life?
I dunno. Business as usual? BTDT, again? BOHICA Alert? (Bend Over, Here It Comes Again). LOTS of possibilities. I was just being sincere that a lot of folks are going to associate the words RED ALERT with a sudden terrorist threat for the rest of the summer.
Then it can go back to business as usual, if none of our cities are glowing piles of radioactive slag or nobody has been hit with a Nerve Agent or the Jihadists haven't shot to pieces all the sheeple in all our shopping malls, thus triggering the Executive Orders and a FEMA fascist style government.
"LEGISLATION that threatens our way of life?" In the face of more death and attacks? Please. Chill, and put your reloading press into high gear.
BTTT!!!!!!!
California Conservative, can you repost that info about which radio show to call? Calcowgirl, show seems to be in your end of the state. Maybe we can get you to call when you get back in town.
Call up Doug McIntyre on KABC talk radio in Los Angeles from midnight to three or four am with this red alert. 1 800 222 5222!
Also John and Ken show on KFI talk radio in Los Angeles in the afternoon.
Oh, thank you so much. It is vitally important that we get information out about these state killer bills.
>>What would you suggest as an appropriate title that conveys the message that socialist legislation threatens our way of life?<<
Tape a 30-06 round to the top of the page.
Nonetheless, It's a good letter and hopefully would be pursuasive, even if overly recognizing the possibility of a compromise in an area that should not be compromised at all.
Afternoon bump.
RE: "...next to last paragraph..."
Thank you. Just trying to lend a hand.
Yeah, I guess that paragraph WAS kind of from the "Tell me how you *REALLY* feel !!!" files... (Does anybody know off hand what percentage of the land area of the state is *ALREADY* state-owned [or state-controlled through 'conservation-easements, and the like]...???)
I doubt that the Guv will really 'get' it, or ACT on it even if he does, but we gotta 'dance with the gal what's brung us' and, while he is certainly not without warts, he is never-the-less...:
1.) Way better than ol' Gray, and
2.) Obviously a pragmatist, else he would NEVER be Guv in THIS state, with it's Left-of-Lenin political environment.
...Hmmm...kinda like Bush, I guess.
Perhaps we should ask one of THESE Great Ladies to whip up a fire...er...letter... or two 'for the cause'... They certainly do not seem to be 'without talent' for that sort of thing...
"The bureaucrats, who seize and dole out other people's assets, initially see themselves as humanitarians. Eventually, they conclude they are indeed superior to others, and treat themselves accordingly. They make laws to which they are not subject; they vote themselves and their wards privileges and benefits. They no longer serve; they rule a nation of the government, by the government and for the government. --Linda Bowles
"Never underestimate the ability of unelected bureaucrats to overturn the expressed will of the people if it threatens their power." --Linda Chavez
"Tax cuts aren't something you pay for. It's less money for the government to spend." --Ann Coulter
Somehow, the 'right-minded' folks in this state HAVE to find a way to help each other. A letter or two now and then, seems precious little to ask...
Other (better) minds might say...
"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." --Edmund Burke
"The government solution to a problem is usually (at least) as bad as the problem." --Milton Friedman
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." --H.L. Mencken
What I WAS hoping to provide, was something all together in a one-page letter format, with the needed headings and fax numbers, so that others (who would perhaps otherwise find the organization of something to send a more daunting task) might easily download it, then be able cut/paste it into something THEY might like to send off to the Guv, themselves.
I suspect it's really 'all about the numbers'...
Before I left, I sent email to Schwarzenegger, and my Assemblycritter. I also filled out the "send a message to author of bill" forms on LegInfo stating my objection to the bills, accessible HERE (AB2600) and HERE (AB1788). I encourage all to do the same... it takes about 2 minutes.
Re: radio, I did send the entire Rose Comstock email to Doug McIntyre with a "PLEASE HELP..." message. He has been running a one-man assault on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy on his show and he set up a website (JoeMustGo) trying to oust the head of SMMC. He is not unfamiliar with Conservancy issues (unfortunately, he never seems to respond to email).
I don't listen to John and Ken... so someone who does might be better versed in appealing to their sense of broadcast importance. I do listen to Larry Elder (KABC). I think he might be enticed to help. He is a reformed libertarian (and attorney). He might embrace the issue and address it. I'll email him some info with a plea.
Unfortunately Linda Bowles can't help as she's gone to her reward. She lasted almost a year after the death of her beloved husband. Sad to the maximum!!! She was one of our favorite heroins!!!
The bureaucrats and most of the legislature in this state make us all suffer from their insolence in office.
Pragmatism is certainly better than Communism, but certainly is hard on basic principles of freedom. But, it does play well in bizzare politics until a real leader can be found to communicate the benefits to society of true principled leadership and make the public want it, like Ronauldus Maximus.(sigh)
Hay! Better fishing through chemistry, right? (/sourchasm)
All values are in thousands (000's) of acres except %'s and ranks.
California - Total area of the state 99,822.70
Total Area Owned by State and Federal Gov'ts 52,085.90
% of State's Total Area %52.1
Owned by Federal Gov't. 49,842.30
% of State's Tot. Area %49.9
Owned by State 2,243.60
% of State's Tot. Area %2.2
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