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SUSTAINABLE FUNDING BILL SSB 3217

I

IA ML'r

New Member
This is THE constitutional amendment we have been working for!!


Senate Study Bill 3217
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of
the State of Iowa to use a portion of state revenue from the
tax imposed on the retail sales of tangible personal property
and services for the benefit of the state's natural resources.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

The following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Iowa is proposed:

Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Iowa is amended by adding the following new section:

NATURAL RESOURCES. SEC. 10. Of the revenue collected by
this State from the sales tax imposed upon the retail sales of
tangible personal property and the furnishing of enumerated
services and from the use tax imposed upon the retail sale of
tangible personal property and enumerated services sold for
use in this State and used in this State, an amount equal to
the amount generated by a tax rate of three=eighths of one
percent shall be used exclusively for purposes of acquiring,
managing, reserving, improving, restoring, or conserving this
State's lands and waters, including lands and fixtures
acquired, held, or used for purposes related to outdoor
recreation, natural habitat, and agriculture. In computing
the revenue collected, a reduction shall be made for any
refund of sales or use tax made. The general assembly may
provide by law for the implementation of this section.

---------------------------------


Well, it’s finally happened, Now it’s time to show our legislators we mean business.


Please contact your legislators and tell them you support SSB 3217
 
Please contact your legislators, this is probably the best chance of our lifetime to get a significant additional funding stream for public lands (including their improvement and management), water quality improvements and soil and water conservation.

You're contacting them about deer bills any way, just make sure they know you support sustainable funding too!
 
This is the most important thread on this entire site right now.

This bill will could eventually fix all the biggest complaints we see on this site in regard to Iowa's natural resources.

Public land aquisition, law enforcement, relieve the need for non residents to fund our DNR.....the list is huge.

Maybe one of the mods should change the name of this topic to
"Here's how we reduce leasing in Iowa!" /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif

Where is everyone!?
 
The Bill is a constitutional ammendment that portions off a chunk of money equal to 3/8 of a cent in sales tax and puts it into a protected fund that can only be used to fund our conservation priorities.

That bill would guarantee (finally) that the environment and outdoor recreation aren't the first things cut when the legislature goes looking for money for other things.

This bill isn't a tax increase, it's just setting conservation as a PRIORITY with protected funding for the first time ever.


By being tied to sales tax it is inflation protected and tied to the health of the state's economy.





The process of amending the State constitution is as follows,

1) it has to pass the legislature (of course)

2) it has to pass the next legislature (a legislature being the 2 years between elections)

3) it has to pass a vote of the people on the ballot in a general election.


So, if it doesn't pass this year we lose 2 years waiting for the chance to get it passed by that second legislature.
 
Facts on SSB 3217

SSB 3217 is the bill that would fully fund the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund created by constitutional amendment (vote of the people) in 2010. It would provide over $150 million+ per year in constitutionally protected sustainable funding for:

  • - Wildlife Habitat Programs
  • - Land Conservation
  • - Watershed Projects
  • - Wetlands Protections
  • - Lake Restoration
  • - Parks
  • - County Conservation Boards
  • - River Restoration
  • - Agricultural Soil Conservation

This specific legislation pairs the sales tax increase to fund the Trust Fund (required by the amendment) with an income tax cut - and results in a NET reduction in taxes for Iowa taxpayers. It phases in these elements over a three year period starting in 2016.

Key Message:

We need to contact the members of the subcommittee and deliver the following messages ...

Sen. Bolkcom/Iowa City - THANK HIM for getting the bill drafted and holding a subcommitee. Ask him what YOU can do to help him pass this critical legislation. Let him know you are a sportsman and want to be as helpful as possible to get this done. Share your story. Remember - he's very supportive of these issues and deserves a THANK YOU.

Sen. Black/Jasper County/Poweshiek - THANK HIM for being a long-time supporter of sportsmen and conservation. Ask him to support the bill going to the full Ways & Means Committee and tell him you will do everything possible to see this get through the legislature. Sen. Black is retiring after this year and deserves our thanks.

Sen. Feenstra/Hull, IA - THANK HIM for considering this bill in sub-committee and tell him how important the outdoors is to you. Share your personal story and why you hope this TAX CUT BILL can be considered by the full Ways & Means committee.



Background:

Subcommittee Members - Senate

The Bill - SSB 3217 (PDF Version)
 
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