[Durham INC] PARK AND RECREATION TRUST FUND IS IN SEVERE DANGER

Sun Apr 3 10:44:41 EDT 2011

See below and please respond if you feel even remotely inclined. I certainly 
don't want money being taken from Parks and Rec and being increased to subsidize 
construction in NC's metropolitan areas.

Melissa

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: David M. Pearson <david at swansboro.biz>
Date: Fri, Apr 1, 2011 at 3:05 PM
Subject: PARK AND RECREATION TRUST FUND IS IN SEVERE DANGER
To: "David M. Pearson" <david at swansboro.biz>

April 1, 2011

Hello Friends,

This is no April Fools Joke!

Late yesterday I was made aware to the fact that PARTF is in SEVERE DANGER.

We heard last week that Representative Killian from Mecklenburg County was
shopping a bill to terminate the Park and Recreation Trust Fund and use the
land transfer tax to fund construction projects in our state's larger
metropolitan counties.

Yesterday SB 462 was filed in the senate and its companion bill, HB 574 will
be filed in the house on Monday.  The language in both these bills is
identical and calls for 50% of the current land transfer tax to be deposited
to the NC Housing Trust Fund, while 37% would go to PARTF and 13% to the
Natural Heritage Trust Fund.  This compares to the current legislation which
allocates 75% to PARTF and 25% to Natural Heritage Trust Fund.

We had hoped to have more time to prepare for this, but action is needed NOW
to help protect future PARTF funding.

We need your immediate action to let legislators know of your opposition to
these bills. Please call AND email your state senator and house
representatives and express the following:

1.      Voice your strong opposition to SB 462 (if writing or calling a
senator) and to HB 574 (if writing or calling your house representative)
2.      Respectfully request that they do not co-sponsor either of the
bills.
3.      Ask that they oppose this legislation and express how PARTF has
positively impacted your community. (PARTF has funded projects in 99 of 100
counties, if you are unsure which projects were in your county you can
search the Green Book at
http://www.landfortomorrow.org/stuff/contentmgr/files/919f2bf5f8c6858f149dda
e88d53789c/miscdocs/green_book_2011_web.pdf
4.      Tell them how conservation dollars have helped our state's economy -
for every $1 invested, there is a return of $4. See the Trust for Public
Land's study:
http://www.landfortomorrow.org/stuff/contentmgr/files/919f2bf5f8c6858f149dda
e88d53789c/miscdocs/ncs_roi_in_land_conservation_tpl_study_feb_2011.pdf  A
two-page summary is also available
http://www.landfortomorrow.org/stuff/contentmgr/files/919f2bf5f8c6858f149dda
e88d53789c/miscdocs/tpl_study_nc_benefits_one_pager.pdf
5.      If your legislator is Republican, remind them Republicans vowed no
new taxes!  In 1993 and 1995 the citizens of North Carolina mandated that
our Park System be adequately funded.  Changing the current land transfer
tax now will ultimately mandate new taxes as North Carolina's citizens will
demand funding for their State Park system.

It is imperative that these calls and emails be made immediately, either
today or tomorrow, but no later than Monday, in order for legislators to
know that the Park and Recreation Trust Fund is both needed and successful
in its current form.  We hope you have the contact information for your
state senator or representative handy; but if not, refer to the following
website http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/GIS/RandR07/Representation.html or call
the General Assembly call center (919) 733-4111 and they will transfer your
call.

Be advised that additional action alerts on this issue will be sent and that
in each case, swift action will be needed to respond as this matter works
its way through the legislative process.

Please take the time to respond to these alerts, otherwise this vital
funding source for North Carolina's Parks could be seriously impacted on
both the state and local level.  It is important to note that without PARTF
North Carolina is ranked 48th in the nation for funding of State Parks.

David M. Pearson
President

Friends of State Parks, Inc.
P.O. Box 37655
Raleigh, NC  27627

Ph:  (910) 326-2400
Fax: (910) 326-7653
Cell: (910) 389-0210

email:  davidp at ncfsp.org
website:  www.ncfsp.org

Do you really need to print this e-mail?

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