Help us out here in Michigan!

Colleagues in Michigan and beyond,

We need your help and support-- one of our state's proposed budget cuts including entirely eliminating the MSU-Extension. The email below focuses on 4-H, but the elimination is to all of Extension in Michigan, which also includes Agricultural Assistance, Master Gardener, Family Nutrition, and a lot more valuable programs that directly serve the population. In addition to the possibility of many our colleagues losing jobs, the tragedy of the incredible work done by all of these people and extension offices will be gone!

Please, please take this opportunity to voice your feelings to our Governor and the press. I know there are many people on this list who are themselves Extension employees in other states-- maybe you have other channels of influence you can tap.

Amanda Edmonds

Begin forwarded message:
MSU Extension faces elimination and needs your help!  Governor Jennifer Granholm is asking for citizen input on budget cuts she is considering.  She is presenting a list of 19 cuts that include the total elimination of MSU Extension and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Stations.


MSU Extension is a three-way partnership between federal, state and local governments.  The $28.6 million from state money is joined with approximately $10 million in federal funds, $18 million in county funds, and more that $21 million in grants.  This meansMichigan’s $28.6 million dollar contribution to Extension leverages an additional $50 million dollars.  It is an arrangement that supports our program here in Washtenaw County.  Without the state’s investment, the partnership supporting MSU Extension would collapse and end.  This means that in 2004, there would be no more 4-H, Agriculture, or family programs. 
 

Here inWashtenaw County, 4-H impacts over 3600 youth in educational, character building, after-school programs.  Over 300 Washtenaw County adult volunteers donate their time to mentor youth.  Statewide, over 276,000 youth are involved in 4-H.  It is the largest out-of-school time program in the state. 


If you feel strongly about the cuts that Governor Granholm is considering, you have the opportunity as a constituent to make your voice heard.  Contacts need to be made as soon as possible, as the governor plans to announce her cuts by mid-December. 

To contact the Governor: You can contact her by mail at: Governor Jennifer M. Granhom,P.O. Box 30013, Lansing, MI  48909 or by telephone at (517) 373-3400 or by FAX at (517) 335-6863.  You can also use her email program Share Your Opinion , but you will not receive a response.  To do this, visit http://www.michigan.gov/gov .  Click on Contact the Governor and then scroll down to Share Your Opinion or use this web link:  http://www.michigan.gov/gov/0,1607,7-168-21995-65331--,00.html .


If losing MSU Extension and all of its programs is a concern, you should also contact your state senator and representative.  If you are unsure who represents you, you can find out at the Michigan Senate and Michigan House of Representatives websites.  Washtenaw County Senators are

Senator Liz Brater (district 18)    and  Senator Beverly Hammerstrom (district 17)

(517) 373-2406                        (517)373-3543

SenLBrater@senate.michigan.gov      SenBHammerstrom@senate.michigan.gov

 

Our Washtenaw area Representatives are:

052

DeRossett

Gene

R

517-373-0828

gderossett@house.mi.gov

053

Kolb

Chris

D

517-373-2577

chriskolb@house.mi.gov

054

Jamnick

Ruth Ann

D

517-373-1771

rjamnick@house.mi.gov

055

Milosch

Matt

R

517-373-1792

mattmilosch@house.mi.gov


 

You can find out more about the proposed budget cuts at our Washtenaw County MSU Extension website, http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/extension/ex_index.html .  You will also be receiving a letter in the mail from our MSU Extension office in a few days.

 

There is also an online poll sponsored by Channel 4 inDetroit that citizens can use to express their opinion.  This website is http://www.clickondetroit.com/station/2626557/detail.html  


Amanda Maria Edmonds

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"We must be the change we wish to see in the world."
"To forget to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves."
- Mahatma Ghandi

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