Urgent Member to Member Call for Action

Hello to participants in Member to Member. Tyler Slack, Utah PTA Trust Lands Appointee, has asked that I send out the following urgent call for action TODAY on an issue before Congress. Please read the information, carefully, and make phone calls to our delegation. Thanks for your immediate action as you head into the Fall Break!

Cheryl Phipps
Utah PTA Legislative VP

WHETHER YOU ARE FOR OR AGAINST WILDERNESS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR
CONGRESSMAN. INSIST THAT ANY WILDERNESS BILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC LANDS
IN EXCHANGE FOR CAPTURED SCHOOL LANDS.

1 million acres of school land will be captured in a wilderness bill
that will be heard in subcommittee in the U.S. Congress on Thursday,
October 1. H.R. 1925 will negatively effect the School Land Trust
program funds that your children directly benefit from as decided by
parents, teachers and the principal in your school. Congress has an
obligation to the school children of Utah and they need to hear from
you today!

The following information about how you can contact your congressman
has been provided for your convenience:

Rep. Jim Matheson - (202) 225-3011 or (877) 677-9743

Rep. Rob Bishop - (202) 225-0453

Rep. Jason Chaffetz - (202) 225-7751

Sen. Bob Bennett - (202) 224-5444

Sen. Orrin Hatch - (202) 224-5251

(Links to a contact form for each congressman can be found at the
bottom of this email if you prefer not to call)

Background

H.R. 1925 "America's Red Rock Wilderness Act of 2009", sponsored by
Rep. Hinchey of New York, designates 9.4 million acres of wilderness
in Utah.

If this bill passes, it will mean:

* 20% of the State of Utah will be wilderness
* Over 1 million acres of School Trust Lands will be captured,
which equals 1/3 of the land that makes money for the schools
* School Trust Lands in wilderness area will be unable to generate
revenue for schools

You will recall that:

* All the net revenue from these school lands is invested in the
permanent State School fund and it is the interest and dividends from
this fund that funds the School Land Trust program
* The School Land Trust money is the only discretionary money that
every school receives
* The School Land Trust program provides for science/computer
labs, reading teachers, take-home books, and remediation according to
plans developed by parents, teachers and the principal in your school

Also, remember that Utah PTA and its members have resolved (as
outlined in the School Trust Lands Resolution - EDU-2004-2) to:

* Work to encourage Federal and State officials to fulfill their
responsibilities under the Enabling Act by assisting the State in
proper management of School Trust Lands for their intended purpose, to
support schools
* In cases where management for trust purposes would conflict with
other important purposes, such as protection of archaeological,
aesthetic, or other environmental or cultural resources, that the
Federal Government or state purchase, or trade the affected lands for
other lands of comparable value
* Encourage any such trade or purchase be for the full value of
the trust lands, with an appropriate additional amount to compensate
the school trust for losses incurred due to failure of permit
reasonable development of the trust lands in question

The scale of this potential taking-of-school-lands is staggering- it
is five times larger than the lands that were taken when the Grand
Staircase National Monument was created. School Trust Lands were
granted to Utah by Congress over 100 years ago, before Statehood, to
support our public schools. Congress has an obligation to the school
children of Utah which they need to be reminded of. PLEASE REMIND
THEM!

Utah PTA

Tyler Slack
Trust Lands Appointee
Utah PTA