Saturday Evening Hi,
I need your help! I received a call last night from State Representative Clarence Hoffman (http://www.legis.state.ia.us/GA/79GA/House/Members/Clarence-Hoffman.html) who will be introducing the bill in the House on the Statewide One Cent Sales Tax. Clarence is a family friend and neighbor from my hometown of Charter Oak. The Statewide One Cent Sales Tax bill will would allow schools to spend the revenue on basically PPEL type expenses including TECHNOLOGY! He said the Senate may require the language that will call for a 50% vote of the district patrons to approve the plan to spend the sales tax revenue. He stated that we may have to "give" alittle in order to get it passed. He asked me to contact some of my colleagues for assistance on the Statewide One Cent Sales Tax. He asked that we go to our school staffs, our service clubs, our chamber of commerce, our businesses, etc. and ask them to send an e-mail or fax a simple letter asking for the following people for their support of this legislation that will be introduced next Thursday. He wants us to increase contact with Senator's Mary Kramer ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) and Stewart Iverson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]). Also contact your local representatives and senators. He also asked that you communicate the same message to the Governor. The Governor has not heard from enough people yet to get him off the fence on this issue. He needs to hear from a variety of Iowans who support this immediately. Send e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or fax letters to (515) 281-6611. Dear Governor Vilsack, I am writing to ask your support of the Statewide One Cent Sales Tax legislation that will be introduced in the House of Representatives this week. Residents of low-retail areas have for several years now been taking their pennies to their neighboring districts to help them build and maintain their schools. Finally a plan is being brought forward which would equalize the funding for all school districts. This revenue will be dedicated for school infrastructure and property tax relief. The legislature has an opportunity to enact legislation that can make our schools safer and better equipped: extending the one-cent sales tax for schools statewide. If state leaders really care about children learning, they will pass public policy that supports quality school buildings where learning can occur. I urge you to show your support for this legislation and Iowa's K-12 school systems! -------------- Those of you in District 9 especially need to keep working on Senator Iverson. If you already contacted him, do it again. We need his support of the Statewide Sales Tax. Please get everyone you can to contact Senator Iverson ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) with a simple message like the ones below: Dear Senator Iverson, I am writing to ask your support of the Statewide One Cent Sales Tax legislation that will be introduced in the House of Representatives this week. Residents of low-retail areas have for several years now been taking their pennies to their neighboring districts to help them build and maintain their schools. Finally a plan is being brought forward which would equalize the funding for all school districts. This revenue will be dedicated for school infrastructure and property tax relief. The legislature has an opportunity to enact legislation that can make our schools safer and better equipped: extending the one-cent sales tax for schools statewide. If state leaders really care about children learning, they will pass public policy that supports quality school buildings where learning can occur. I urge you to show your support for this legislation and Iowa's K-12 school systems! OR Dear Senator Iverson, I am writing to ask your support of the Statewide One Cent Sales Tax legislation that will be introduced in the House of Representatives this week. The proposed statewide one-cent sales tax for school buildings makes sense for many reasons. All children should have good school buildings. This option would allow that to happen while being fair to property tax payers. Some legislators are balking about passing the bill, fearing that any “tax increase” would be a political death-wish. There are two problems in this thinking. First, this is not a tax increase: Iowa has already decided to pay for school infrastructure with the sales tax. The only question is whether we implement the "one penny" one county at a time in a haphazard fashion, or whether we choose to implement the penny in an orderly uniform way, guarantee property tax relief, and ensure a fair distribution of the revenues. Second, our legislators need to have more faith in Iowans. Voters will not only pay fair and reasonable taxes for important services like education, but we will re-elect legislators with the courage to do the right thing. I urge you to show your support for this legislation and Iowa's K-12 school systems! ----------- Your help is greatly appreciated!! I know several groups are planning to be at the Statehouse on Thursday including school administrators and technology directors. Let me know if you are going to attend and if you are able to rally some support early next week. Clarence also said if we don't get it passed this year it may never happen with redistricting next year. Thanks alot!!!! --- [This E-mail Scanned For Viruses By Declude Virus Scanner] --------------------------------------------------------- Archived messages from this list can be found at: http://www.mail-archive.com/tech-cord@aea5.k12.ia.us/ ---------------------------------------------------------
