A Second Call for Action from NYSSA PDF Print
Friday, 12 March 2010 20:12

A Second Call for Action from NYSSA
and your President Mike Fischer:

In Phase I of our campaign, we have called on every one of our Club Presidents and their members to write and fax letters to their respective Senators and Assembly Members. Now, we are ready to implement Phase II - reaching out to Governor Paterson and Budget Director Megna.

We at NYSSA have been working with our lobbyists to take whatever actions are necessary to oppose this unwarranted sweep of our money from the trail fund and the expanded language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709. We have been reaching out to the Legislature and asking for their help to correct this intolerable situation.

As President of NYSSA, I have gone to Albany and met with key Assembly Members, Senators and the Secretary to the Senate Finance Committee to express our opposition to the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709 that would expand the allowable use of monies in the snowmobile trail fund to include "public safety activities," and urge that this language be removed from the budget as well as express our opposition to this unprecedented sweep from the trail fund.

I am calling on every one of our Club Presidents and their members to fax a letter and place calls to Governor David Paterson and New York State Budget Director Robert Megna asking them to rescind the $1 million sweep of the Snowmobile Trail Fund and to remove the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709.

We are providing all of you with the model letters below in order to ensure a clear, consistent, and resolute message. Club officers: please use the attached Governor and Budget Director model letter and copy them to your Club Letterhead. Club members should make sure to sign their letters and include their home address.

Letter to the Governor (Word)

Letter to the Governor (PDF)

Letter to the Budget Director (Word)

Letter to the Budget Director (PDF)


Fax your letters to both the Governor and Budget Director as soon as possible. We must act quickly to let them know about our opposition to this unwarranted action. Please fax your letters to the following:

  • Fax line for Governor Paterson: 518-474-1513
  • Fax line for Director Megna: 518-402-2298

We request that telephone calls be made to the Governor's Office and Division of the Budget. Before any call is made, please use the talking points below when speaking with the Governor's Office and Division of the Budget.


Talking Points - Governor Paterson - PDF

Talking Points - Division of Budget - PDF


Please remember to be polite and courteous throughout your conversations with both offices. To voice your opinion please call the following:

  • Telephone line for Governor Paterson: 518-474-8390
  • Telephone line for Division of Budget: 518-473-3885

We ask that you continue sending letters to your respective Senators and Assembly Members. You can determine who your Senator or Assembly Members are by using the zip code look-up device at going to the following sites:

Find Your Senator

Find Your Assembly Person


The NYS Board of Election:
http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/

You can get the fax numbers of your legislators from the Senate and Assembly sites.

Please act quickly and send your letters and make your calls. Thanks for your attention to this most pressing issue facing NYSSA and the clubs.

Mike Fischer

NYSSA President

 
Media release from NYS Assemblymember RoAnn Destito
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 11:47

NYS Assemblymember RoAnn Destito discusses the positive economic impact of snowmobiling in NY as well as the safety issues created by the Governors proposed sweep of millions of dollars from the snowmobile trail fund, funded by snowmobilers.

Visit Assemblymember RoAnn Destito's website

 
STATE “RAID” ON SNOWMOBILE TRAIL FUND
Friday, 12 February 2010 01:11
A Call for Action from NYSSA and your President Mike Fischer:

Many of you are already painfully aware that the Governor proposes to sweep $1 million from the trail fund this current fiscal year! This unprecedented sweep, coming less than two years after a previous attempt to take $1 million during the 2008-2009 budget process, must be rejected by the Legislature. It is another attempt to raid the Snowmobile Trail Fund.

NYSSA is further opposed to the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709 that would expand the allowable use of monies in the snowmobile trail fund to include “public safety activities,” and urge that this language be removed from the budget. By allowing snowmobile registration fees to be taken from their intended use and transferred to the general fund under the guise of public safety, while removing any accountability regarding the use of these funds, the proposed budget would result in millions more swept from the snowmobile trail fund in the years to come.

As President of NYSSA, I have sent a letter to the Governor and the Legislature strongly opposing this sweep of the $1 million from the trail fund and reminding the Governor of his commitment made to NYSSA in his July 10, 2008 press release, and asking to restore these funds. We at NYSSA are working with our lobbyists to take whatever action necessary to oppose this unwarranted sweep of our money from the trail fund and language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709. They are reaching out to the Legislature and asking for their help to correct this intolerable situation.

I am calling on every one of our Club Presidents and their members to send a letter to their respective Senator and Assemblyman asking their help in getting our $1 million restored to the Snowmobile Trail Fund and to oppose the language in Part HH of Budget Bill S6609/A9709. We are providing all of you with the attached model letters in order to ensure a clear, consistent, and resolute message. Club members should make sure to sign their letters and include their home address.

If you utilize an example letter below, it is critical that you personalize your letter with your own comments on this matter in a clear and respectful manner.

Example letter to Governor Paterson (MS word format)
Example letter to Governor Paterson (Text file)

Example letter to your State Senator (MS word format)
Example letter to your State Senator (Text File)

Example letter to your State Assembly Member (MS word format)
Example letter to your State Assembly Member (Text File)

Mail or Fax your letters to your respective representatives to the Senate and Assembly as soon as possible. We must act quickly to let them know about our opposition to this unwarranted action by the Governor. You can determine who your Senator or Assemblyman is by using the zip code look-up device at going to the following sites:

Find your NY State Senator contact information here, Find My State Senator
Find your NY State Assembly Member contact information here, Find My Assembly Member
The NYS Board of Election: http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/

You can get the mailing address and fax numbers of your legislators from the Senate and Assembly sites.

Please act quickly and send your letters. Thanks for your attention to this most pressing issue facing NYSSA and the clubs.

Mike Fischer
NYSSA President

To view NYSSA President Mike Fischer's letter to legislators this week click HERE
To view Governor Patterson's July 10, 2008 press release click HERE

 
Jessup River UMP Amendment - Comment Deadline Extended
Monday, 22 February 2010 13:05
Jessup River Wild Forest UMP 2010 Amendment

The recently issued amendment 2010 draft amendment to the 2005/2006 Jessup River Wild Forest Unit Management Plan has a number of signifigant negative changes.   NYSSA is very concerned that the are trail closures that are unnecessary under the guidelines and as a result will isolate users and businesses who have historically had access to the trail system.  The amendment should have leveraged the  Class I Trail guidelines to preserve access by residents, visitors and businesses.  

Your calls, e-mails, and letters are needed to preserve trail access to all snowmobilers.

Your letter will have the greatest impact, if it is a unique original statement about the impact of the proposed changes and why you think the proposed changes are not valid.

If you utitlize the example letter, it is critical that you personalize, edit and add your own comments on this matter for your letter to count.
JRWF Example Letter (MS word format)
JRWF Example Letter (text file)

The entire set of JRWF UMP Plan documents can be downloaded from the NYSDEC website HERE

There is a summary of the amendment from the NYSDEC at the bottom of this page, and the specific amendment on which the DEC is currently accepting comments on can be found HERE

Comments are due to the NYS DEC by February 19, 2010 to the attention of Mr. Thomas Kapelewski.
The public comment period for the 2010 Draft Amendment has been extended. Public comment will now be accepted until March 29, 2010.

Thomas Kapelewski, Senior Forester, NYS DEC
PO Box 1316
Northville, NY 12134
Fax: (518) 863-2546
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PLEASE NOTE: YOU MUST INCLUDE A SUBJECT LINE OR THE COMMENT EMAIL WILL NOT BE RECEIVED OR RECORDED

All DEC UMPs and process on DEC website HERE
 
2010 NYSSA Annual Meeting & Forum PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 24 February 2009 14:10

Get Chainsaw Certified at Forum 2010! 
April 16-18, 2010

The Information Packets for the members-only 2010 NYSSA Annual Meeting & Forum were mailed in mid-February to all Clubs in good standing. The packet includes course descriptions for the Forum, registration forms, and the proposed By-law changes.

Registration cost is $70 before March 15; Late Registration is $80. If you are attending the Annual Meeting only, as a voting Delegate, the cost is just $15 (you must still pre-register). No registrations will be accepted after March 30.

If you are interested in attending, please coordinate with your local club.  Last year's event attracted nearly 700 members and guests.

This year we will gather in the Holiday Inn, Liverpool’s (Syracuse) newly renovated facility. 180 rooms are being held for our event; the cost is $95 per room (a $55 savings from their normal rate!).

New Options for Friday
Friday afternoon, April 17 will feature a Groomer Operator Course and a Chainsaw Safety Course held at a nearby location.

Read more...
 

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