IWILL Lobby Day
By Taylor on January 22, 2015 in Blog
Iowa's Water and Land Legacy (IWILL) Capitol Day is right around the corner: Monday, Jan. 26. Don’t miss this opportunity to advocate for directing funds to the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.
What is the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund?
Iowans overwhelmingly voted to create this trust fund in 2010 to conserve clean water, productive agricultural soils and abundant natural resources. Now, in 2015, we must take the crucial next step of directing revenue to the trust fund to ensure that this permanent, constitutionally protected funding source is available to conserve Iowa’s water, soil, habitat, parks, and trails for generations to come.
What are some of the benefits?
- Economic: Natural resource protection and eco-tourism are important to our rural economy, helping attract and retain a skilled workforce and contributing to our unique quality of life.
- Accountability: The trust will fund voluntary, non-regulatory conservation partnerships, and is accountable to taxpayers through public oversight, mandatory annual audits and regular reports submitted to the Iowa Legislature.
What about Capitol Day?
The IWILL Capitol Day will be an opportunity for members and advocates to engage with legislators. This will not only allow for legislators to learn from constituents in person on the importance of funding the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund, but also see the momentum built up in support of funding the trust. Legislators are most likely to listen to people from their home districts who have a personal story or an interest to share.
IWILL T-shirts will be available on a first come first serve basis until they are gone. If you don't want to wear a T-shirt, wear blue to show you are part of the IWILL effort.
Location:
Iowa Capitol, First Floor Rotunda
1007 East Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319
Schedule:
1 p.m. — Members/advocates begin arriving. There will be a table set up to sign-in and host informal activist trainings on how to talk with legislators. These will take place every half hour starting at 1:15 p.m. and include preparing your personal conservation stories and learning how to send in a note to legislators in the House and/or Senate chambers.
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. — IWILL members/advocates will be stationed in the Rotunda and up on the second floor Rotunda near the House and Senate chambers and will be available to speak with legislators. Coalition lobbyists will be available to help facilitate meetings with legislators.
Can’t attend Capitol Day?
If you can’t attend the lobby day but still want to advocate, contact your legislator and ask for support in funding the Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Trust Fund.
Still want more information?
