Governor's 10 Percent Budget Cut Hits Iowa Property Taxpayers Hard

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Oct. 9, 2009 -Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) members are disappointed with the Governor's decision to make a 10 percent across-the-board cut for the fiscal year 2010 budget because members know it equals a $251 million property tax hike.  "Although the Governor said he will not burden Iowans with a tax hike to balance the budget, that's exactly what he's doing," said IFBF President Craig Lang.

"A $251 million property tax hike now looms over the head of hardworking Iowans and there is no relief in sight," said Lang.

Farm Bureau members will ask Governor Culver and state leaders to redesign the state's budgeting process during next year's legislative session.  "We have to make the necessary changes to avoid the budget disruptions we are seeing today.  The state's budget default process of leaning on property taxpayers has to stop.  Homeowners, farmers and main street businesses simply can't afford a tax increase and a property tax increase is a tax increase," said Lang.

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Funding included in Agriculture Appropriations bill, along with additional money for agriculture development in Iowa's First District

Washington, DC?Today, Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) announced he has secured $875,000 to continue the New Era Rural Technology Program he established. This USDA grant program allows community colleges and advanced training facilities to train the next generation of agriculture-based energy professionals. The funds were included in the House-Senate conference agreement, which passed today in the House with a vote of 263 to 162.

"This funding for the New Era Program allows us to keep Iowa at the forefront of the bio-energy industry," Braley said. "As our economy shifts to a culture of renewable energy, it's crucial that we provide education for the emerging professionals in Iowa. I'm proud to have introduced, passed into law and funded legislation that does just that."

Braley also announced funding for the National Education Center for Agriculture Safety in Peosta, the National Ag Based Lubricants Center (NABL) at University of Northern Iowa and for UNI's Tallgrass Prairie Center to research floodplain restoration.

The $170,000 for the National Center for Agriculture Safety will provide interactive health and safety education to Iowa farmers, volunteer firefighters, EMS providers and agricultural businesses. The program will also provide youth safety training to over 300 young people in the First District.

The $405,000 for the UNI-NABL will fund research and testing of bio-renewable lubricants and greases. The goal is to create commercial, bio-based lubricant products which are bio-degradable and more environmentally friendly than petroleum based products.

The $134,000 for UNI's Blackhawk County's Tallgrass Prairie Center will fund a study of wetland communities to determine which species best aid in floodplain recovery. This will provide direct impact on restoration of wetlands in Eastern Iowa and across the country.

The Agriculture Appropriations bill conference agreement now must be approved by the Senate before moving to President Obama for his signature.

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States prepare for coming Continental Congress

Locals invited to become delegates, National Election Day October 10th

EVERY STATE, U.S.A., September 14, 2009 - Citizens fed up with constitutional violations causing devastation to the economy and the Nation, are stepping up to join constitutional activist Robert L. Schulz, Chairman of We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education, to prepare for a modern-day Continental Congress to take place November 8-22, 2009 at the Pheasant Run Conference Center in St. Charles, Illinois.  Continental Congress 2009 is not political or partisan and seeks to defend, not amend, the current Constitution.

Billed as the "next appropriate step for the free people of America," planners hope the historic national assembly will inspire the critical mass necessary to restore constitutional governance. 153 citizen-nominated-and-elected Delegates - three from each state and Washington, D.C. -- will convene for two weeks to methodically and factually document constitutional abuses which have taken place over many years, across many administrations, every branch of government and both parties.   Delegates will consider specific non-violent, legal civic actions to stop the wrongs.

Citizens are invited to nominate delegates who have a "proven passion for the Constitution," by visiting www.cc2009.us .  "Perhaps you know a great patriot who is a neighbor, a family member, or associate," says Schulz.  Delegates will make their own way to Illinois, but room and board will be covered by donations.

Volunteers are busy securing polling places for Delegate Election Day, October 10, 2009. The election will be constitutionally valid using visible and transparent vote counting, an effort planners hope will eliminate the constitutionally invalid general electoral procedures currently in use.  Where polling places are not available, a mail-in ballot process will be offered.

To help finance the historic event, volunteers are planning a "Walk Down Main Street" campaign to visit local merchants in hometowns.  A .999 pure silver CC2009 commemorative round will be given for each donation of $100.00 or more. Planners are also seeking bigger donors they are calling the "patriotic, brave and wealthy" who "understand what Continental Congress can do for America."

The decision to convene CC2009 comes after fourteen years of filing Petitions for Redress with the federal government for repeated violations of the Constitution by We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education, a national 501 c3 non-profit with headquarters in New York.  Schulz says The Right to petition was put in the First Amendment by the Founding Fathers, "who did not want Americans to ever again experience a situation where their individual rights or civil liberties were threatened."  To date, this Right has never been recognized by the government nor defined in any court of law.  Schulz says it must now be used to hold elected officials accountable to the rest of the Constitution "which will shift the power from the government back to The People where it belongs."

"Americans are waking up to the urgent need to stand strong for the Founding Principles and our Constitution, as every violation further devastates our economy and our way of life," says Schulz.  "We all desire the same outcome: restoration of our Nation.  Continental Congress 2009 is the only strategy we see that is not political or partisan, does not rely on the electoral process, and can bring peaceful and legal solutions to our current situation.  We hope this effort can be the catalyst that brings the freedom-loving people of America together at this critical time," he concludes.

Readers can learn more about We The People by going to www.givemeliberty.org. For specific information on CC2009, to nominate delegates or volunteer for polling places, go to www.cc2009.us

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Media Contact:  
Judith Whitmore - honoramerica@gmail.com - 804 405 6505

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We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education * We The People Congress

2458 Ridge Road * Queensbury, NY 12804 * info@GiveMeLiberty.org * www.givemeliberty.org

National non-political, non-partisan, not-for-profit organizations for The People

We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education is a 501c3 organization that educates The People about the Declaration of Independence, every provision of federal and state constitutions, the sovereignty of The People whose Will the constitutions are designed to express; and the government They are meant to control through their constitutions.

We The People Congress is a 501c4 sister organization of constitutional activists committed to "institutionalizing" citizen vigilance through civic education, monitoring of governments, and organizing grassroots programs of civic resistance to confront and repel tyranny.

Their collective Mission is to resurrect the long-forgotten the First Amendment "Capstone Right" found in the Bill of Rights, as an exercise of the People's natural Right to Sovereignty over their servant governments, believing it is the profound, peaceful and constitutional solution that will save the Republic and restore Constitutional Order in America.