Well, we didn’t fund the Trust this legislative session, but we came really, really close. Without you, we would have never made it as far as we did. Hundreds and hundreds of you called, wrote, and made it clear to the legislature how important this issue is.
The Iowa’s Water & Land Legacy Coalition was the largest and most broad-based of any coalition this session. And here’s what we accomplished:
– Our coalition nearly tripled in size since last summer.
– We had legislation to finally fund the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund introduced in the Iowa House with a record 13 co-sponsors.
– We had our first floor vote in the Iowa Senate.
– Mayors in towns big and small (along with more than 150 county supervisors from across Iowa), Republicans, and Democrats, endorsed funding the Trust Fund.
– National companies with employees in Iowa, like Bass Pro Shops and Nestle Purina, stepped up to endorse funding the Trust Fund.
– Public health groups, including the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, and American Diabetes Association, joined our coalition.
We continue to gain momentum and we will never give up. Never. In 2010, 63% of Iowans voted to create the Natural Resources & Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, and 0% of them wanted it to remain unfunded for eternity.
Our commitment to you is that we will continue to make calls, write emails, and visit legislators and the governor until legislation is passed to fund the Trust Fund, clean our water, protect our soil, strengthen outdoor recreation, and enhance our wildlife habitat for future generations of Iowans.
The backbone of our coalition is you, and we are grateful for your continued support.