Welcome to the official website for the Iowa Conservation Alliance. We are a complex organization comprised of national, state and local groups dedicated to the conservation of our great State’s Natural Resources.

 SJR-2002 Sustainable Funding for Natural Resources
It Passed!
Wednesday, April 8,2008 several hundred Iowans met at an Iowa Conservation Alliance (ICA), political rally held at the State Capitol in support of Senate Joint Resolution 2002. SJR 2002 is the proposed constitutional amendment for Sustainable Funding of Iowa’s Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources. The rally was scheduled so the concerned citizens could meet and encourage their state representatives to support this landmark piece of legislation.
 

Rick Tebbs, president of the ICA said he thought several hundred turned out to support the new amendment. Besides ICA member’s people from the Nature Conservancy, Heritage Foundation, Iowa County Conservation Association and many other organizations arrived at the capitol in support of the legislation.

Conservation leaders believe the timing of the April 9th, rally was strategic. As a result of the impacting gathering, the State House members scheduled the resolution for debate and vote just one day after the historic rally. The house overwhelmingly voted in favor of the amendment with an 87-10 margin.

The proposed amendment recommends constitutionally dedicating 3/8 cent of the next sales tax increase for Iowa's natural resources. This means in the future if the legislature approves a sales tax increase this adjustment guarantees 3/8 cent from that sales tax revenue would be set aside for the state’s natural resources.

A legislative study committee spent two years designing SJR 2002. The study committee analyzed 40 various funding mechanisms and concluded a constitutional amendment was the best way to guarantee the funding. The state constitution has been amended just two times in the past to secure funding for a state program. This would be the first time general fund dollars would be protected by a constitutional amendment.

In order to amend the constitution, the resolution must pass through both sides of the General Assembly two years in a row. Then upon successful passage the joint resolution would be put on the ballot for a vote of the people.

This amendment seems to have great head of steam as already this session SJR-2002 passed the through the full senate by a vote of 47 -2. The same bill unanimously passed through the House Natural Resource committee 20-0. 

House representatives eloquently debated the merits of the state amendment that would guarantee general funds to be used to finance programs that would protect the natural resources. The backers of the amendment suggest $150 million per year, “purposefully used at state and local levels,” will go a long way toward meeting the needs of Iowa’s natural resources. The State Study Committee determined broad categories for the additional funding: parks and trails; soil and water conservation; and fish, wildlife, and natural areas.

As of this past Thursday the SJR-2002 had made it through phase one of the three phase course necessary to pass a constitutional amendment. Supporters of the resolution predict now that the amendment has made it through a full general assembly it will become a chief campaign issue for state politicians this upcoming election season. Read More about Sustainable Funding