State and Federal Policies Questioned

Groups seek support for funding and protecting 2nd Amendment rights

By Tom Kocal, TKocal@prairie-advocate-news.com

Three separate issues were brought to the Carroll County Board meeting Thursday, March 20, with proponents seeking the support of the Board. Two items were acted on, one was tabled.

CCSWCD wants their money

A resolution to support the State of Illinois releasing funds already appropriated for the Carroll County Soil & Water Conservation District (CCSWCD) was presented to the Board after receiving full State's Attorney/Finance Committee approval March 13. Curt Dambman, President of the CCSWCD, explained to the Board that the State was holding up money that had already been appropriated for the CCSWCD and several other Districts.

"The CCSWCD was fortunate to have been frugal with its expenditures," Dambman told the Board. "We have maintained an emergency fund that allows us to continue at least to the near future. If we don't get this money by the end of FY08 in June, we're concerned that we'll never get it, and maybe won't get it for FY09. Some SWC Districts will have to close if they don't get their budgeted funds."

In an e-mail from Jessica Edwards, CCSWCD Administrative Coordinator, she said "Our fiscal year (FY08) began on July 1, 2007 and ends June 30, 2008. To date, we have received $14,128.57 out of a total allocation of $95,983.68."

"This amounts to about 15% of the money and we're already 75% of the way through our fiscal year," added John Lundquist with the CCSWCD, in a phone conversation after the meeting. "The key emphasis is that this money was budgeted by the Illinois House and Senate. The budget was approved by the Governor. Now, the money is simply not being released by the Governor."

The CCSWCD helps provide technical assistance to county producers in a variety of ways. They perform Natural Resource Inventories as well as the land evaluation portion of the LESA system used by the Carroll County Zoning Board to make informed decisions regarding zoning changes.

The conservation programs offered help to bring over $7 million to Carroll County producers in the past five years. Over $10 million in additional Federal funds are filtered in to Carroll County through direct agricultural payments made to county producers. The help of the CCSWCD is essential to a landowner's ability to install new or maintain existing conservation practices and is a requirement to receive this money.

The CCSWCD also invests in the future of soil and water stewardship by educating the youth of Carroll County. "Teaching children to care for the soil, water, and other natural resources will allow this area to remain a strong, viable agricultural community in the future," according to an informational brochure supplied by the CCSWCD.

Bush cuts funding for RC&D

The County Services and Development Committee acted on an issue regarding the country's Resource, Conservation and Development (RC&D) agencies, with a focus on the Blackhawk Hills RC&D. At their March 6 meeting, Edie Block (D-3) announced that President Bush had eliminated funding for the RC&D Program in his proposed FY09 budget. Councils nationwide are working with federal Legislators to restore the funding.

In a report from the BHRC&D that Block distributed to Board members, the RC&D program is one of the federal government's success stories due to its ability to return $7.50 for every dollar the federal government invests to support economic development and resource protection in rural America.

The Services and Development committee recommended to have the County Board send a letter supporting the RC&D program to Federal Congressmen and Senators for the FY09 budget.

If you or your organization are interested in contacting the U.S. Senators and Congressmen from Illinois to gain their support in restoring funding to the RC&D program, contact the BHRC&D office at 815-625-3854, or visit their web site at www.blackhawkhills.com .

Illinois' Pro 2nd Amendment Resolution tabled

State's Attorney/Finance Committee chairman Rod Fritz (D-3) motioned to approve a resolution presented by Dick Vieth at the committee's March 13 meeting. The motion was seconded and opened for discussion.

So far, 70 of the 102 counties in Illinois have passed the model resolution. The resolution was developed as a response to several pieces of legislation being proposed by Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley.

The resolution is in support of the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and Article 1, Section 22 of the Illinois Constitution, which states that the right of the people to bear arms is guaranteed as an individual right for defense of life, liberty and property, and "is regarded as an Inalienable Right by the People of Carroll County, Illinois."

The resolution states that "the people of Carroll County derive economic benefit from all safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting, and shooting conducted within Carroll County using all types of firearms allowable under the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Illinois."

The resolution urges the Carroll County Board, who have been elected to represent the people of Carroll County, and being duly sworn by their oath of office to uphold both Constitutions, to oppose the enactment of any legislation that would infringe upon the rights of the people to keep and bear arms, and to consider such laws to be unconstitutional and beyond legislative authority.

Chuck Wemstrom (D-3) didn't like the wording in the resolution that stated the County would "oppose the enactment of any legislation . . ." "I don't think that we should word it that we won't restrict some types of gun legislation."

Judy Gray (D-2) asked for confirmation from Wemstrom. "Are you opposed to certain wording in the resolution, or against the whole resolution?", she asked.

"There are some restrictions regarding semi-automatic weapons and the number of guns a person may have that we should not be opposed to," he replied. "It makes perfect sense to have pertinent rules and regulations regarding these types of weapons."

Gray then motioned to table the issue for further research and discussion with Vieth.

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