THANK YOU FOR SAVING FLORIDA’S TRAILS

Thank you to everyone who took action to help save the Florida Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT)!

Due primarily to your hard work, the Senate General Government Appropriations Committee has reinstated OGT’s staff and removed language that would limit citizen input by eliminating the Florida Greenways and Trails Council. OGT’s budget was reduced, but we understand this is a time of belt-tightening.

State Sen. Al Lawson (D-6th) deserves special thanks for submitting an amendment on behalf of OGT, as does Sen. Carey Baker (R-20th) for supporting an innovative solution that was at no additional cost to the taxpayer. Links to their websites provide contact information.

The trail movement depends on its supporters to speak up in times of need and I am proud of the vigorous response that came from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy members. This is an outstanding example of an advocacy effort having a real-world impact.

Thank you again for defending trails with action!

Sincerely,
Ken Bryan
Rails to Trails Conservancy
Florida Field Office

Why We Should All LOVE Paying Our Taxes

Why I LOVE Paying My Taxes!
When you’re in the midst of a recession that has been compared, and not favorably, to the Great Depression, the last thing you might want to do is pay thousands of dollars in taxes to the Federal government.  And yet that’s what millions of Americans will have to do on April 15th (or risk scrutiny by the IRS).

If you’re not skipping merrily down to the post office all excited about the investments you get to make in our nation’s infrastructure, safety and human services, just repeat to yourself one (or all) of these mantras.  You might not wind up skipping, but hopefully you’ll feel a little better.

I’m Making Investments in My Country

Citizens around the country and, indeed, the world have been mesmerized by the stand-off between Somali pirates and Captain Richard Phillips of the Maersk Alabama.  And while that stand-off ended less-than-optimally through violence, how was the Captain rescued?  That’s right, by Navy SEALS.  And who pays for those Navy SEALS?  That’s right, you do.

Now, granted, Navy SEALS may not be your thing.  What about roads?  Parks?  Healthcare for the poor and elderly?  Food stamps?  Public broadcasting?  In fact, whatever your particular interest is, some portion of your tax dollars are going toward that project. If you’re curious as to where your tax dollars go, check out the National Priorities Project and their interactive tax chart.  Here you can enter the amount of taxes you actually paid (if it doesn’t make you cry) and determine where those dollars went.  Then, as you’re filling out your 1040, pretend to yourself that you’re making a donation to the programs you love best.  You can even include that in the “memo” portion of the check – believe me, IRS workers have seen it all. That might ease the pain a little.

My Taxes Benefit Me Directly

If you’re not convinced by the broader benefits to society that paying your taxes brings, think about it from a purely selfish perspective.  Every minute of every day you are impacted positively (or, OK, negatively) by government actions.  Think about it.  Did you wake up this morning?  If you did and heard the clock radio alarm or watched television, you were affected by FCC regulation of the radio spectrum.  Did you take a shower?  Clean water regulations (hopefully).  Have some coffee?  Trade tariffs on coffee beans.  With cream?  Dairy price supports.  Use the restroom?  You better hope there are combined sewer overflow regulations in your area.  Drive on a road? Well, you get the point.

If you want to test this out, pick a day when you’ll stop every few moments to write down how government affects you (you can even use Twitter, if you’re so inclined).  Then, imagine that your personal tax dollars are bringing you these benefits.

I’ll Gain Access to Potential Perks

You know the old adage “you’ve got to spend money to make money?”  Well, that definitely applies in the tax world.  This year, thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and other recently passed bills, Americans can claim all kinds of credits on their returns.  The catch is, you’ve got to file to get the cash.

For example, raise your hand if you lost money in the stock market.  Wait, wait, I can’t see over all the hands!  Well, if you sold your stocks at a loss before the end of the year, you may be able to claim that loss on your taxes.  If you bought a car or a house, more credits may be coming your way.  So take a careful look at all the existing and new deductions and credits.  You may be surprised at what you’ll gain!

I’ll Avoid Public Humiliation and Additional Fees (and possible Jail Time)

Famed mobster Eliot Ness wasn’t sent to jail for the many violent crimes he allegedly committed.  No, what brought him down was tax evasion.  And, although they certainly shouldn’t be equated with mobsters, tax problems have dashed the career hopes of everyone from cabinet nominees like Tom Daschle to the coffee shop owner here in DC who just didn’t pay his local taxes for about ten years.  With penalties and fees, his tax bill topped $400,000 – and now he’s out of business.

Whether you’re concerned about how your tax situation will be addressed during your nomination hearing, or just want to avoid losing your business, it’s important to stay on top of your tax obligations.  In fact, many employers now look at how individuals manage their finances as one important hiring criterion.  You don’t want to lose your dream job because you just couldn’t bring yourself to write that check on April 15th.

I Have the Right (and Responsibility) to Advocate on Government Spending

“But wait,” you’re thinking.  “The main reason I don’t want to pay my taxes is because government spends my money on things I don’t like.”  Sure, it’s all very well and good to imagine that you’re spending money ONLY on those government programs that make sense to you.  But as a practical matter, that isn’t really the case, is it?

Well, here’s the most wonderful thing about our tax system and our overall system of government.  If you don’t like where your tax dollars are being spent, you have a right and a responsibility to let your elected officials know!  For example, if you paid $5,000 in taxes, you’ll find out that $1,470 went to the military and just over $1,000 went to health services.  For some people those ratios are just fine: others believe that more should be going toward non-military programs.  Wherever you stand on the spectrum, let your elected officials know what you think we should be investing in as a nation.  You can reach them through a site like www.congress.org
When All Else Fails…

If things get too stressful just try to be thankful that at least you’ve got some income to pay taxes on, right?  There are too many Americans struggling to make ends meet (especially in this economic climate).  So sit back and relax with a little television – and who knows?  That show might not have made it to your set without some sort of taxpayer investment.
Stephanie Vance
The Advocacy Guru at Advocacy Associates, LLC
www.advocacyguru.com

FLORIDA BIKE SUMMIT GENERATES RAVE REVIEWS

Check out this link to today’s Tallahassee Democrat about the inaugural Florida Bike Summit held yesterday at the Capitol. Don’t forget to view the photo gallery too featuring 13 photos from the event. Nearly 30 meetings were held with Legislators throughout the day following the press event. A full report will be featured in the Spring Messenger newsletter to be distributed 4/15/09.

Here’s a recap of the article:

Bicyclists rally at Florida Capitol: Inaugural Florida Bike Summit draws a crowd despite downpour
By Elizabeth M. Mack · DEMOCRAT WRITER · April 3, 2009

Special thanks go to the following people for making this event such an overwhelming success:

Representative Adam Fetterman, District 81, Martin & St. Lucie counties
Deputy Chief Financial Officer Donna O’Neal
FBA President David Henderson
Office of Greenways & Trails Director Jena Brooks
Florida Field Representative, Rails to Trails Conservancy, Ken Bryan
General Counsel to CFO Alex Sink, Yvonne Gsteiger

…and many, many others!

Just a few more details about the Florida Bike Summit

There will be NO legislative training tonight, 4/1/09, at YMCA Camp Indian Springs. Trainings will be held tomorrow in the Capitol Courtyard before the 10:30 am press event.  There will still be a 9:30 am police escort bike ride from the St. Marks Trail Head at 319/Capitol Circle to the Captiol Steps as long as weather permits.  If Tallahassee Police Department personnel are not on site, then they have deemed conditions to be unsafe and riders are on their own.

Bike Florida will not be in Wakulla County to SAG (support and gear) or provide accommodations or meals. The Bike Florida/Florida Bike Summit program/reception originally scheduled for 4/2/09 at 7:00 pm at Wakulla Springs State Park will be held in Monticello at the Monticello Opera House, located at Washington Street and Court Square.

Rain or Shine: The Florida Bike Summit will go on!

Mother nature has thrown us a curve ball for the inaugural Florida Bike Summit on Thursday, April 2 from 10:00-11:30 am.  Rain or Shine, the show will go on in the Capitol Courtyard.