S O U N D   O F F


September 22, 2008

Subject: Amendment 58 and TNC by Roni Bell Sylvester

The Nature Conservancy gave $1,175 million to stop Colorado Amendment 58; a bill which reads: “Shall state taxes be increased $321.4 million annually by an amendment to (state statutes) concerning the severance tax on oil and gas extracted in the state...(by) eliminated a credit against the severance tax for property taxes paid by oil and gas producers and interest owners.”
In addition to TNC’s contributions, the Colorado Conservation Voters Education Fund gave $55,000, and the Colorado Environmental Coalition gave $50,000.

From what I’ve studied on these organizations, all are non-profits - and some receive grant monies either directly (In 2006 TNC received over $100 million in federal funds.) or via intricate overlapping partnerships with grant recipients.
It is not unusual for environmental non-profits like TNC, to receive federal money then sue the federal government or contribute to causes that intend to stop resource production.

Another TNC action still questioned in Colorado, was their gift of over $15 million to acquisition land in Southern Colorado, for alleged “buffer zones” around the Army’s planned maneuver site expansion. Because the Army suggested they may use eminent domain powers, TNC allegedly withdrew their offer to partner on these land acquisitions, leaving them several million unused.
This taxpayer demands an open book on TNC and any other organization that receives government monies, then sues the government or uses money to block essential taxpayer demanded actions such as domestic resource production.

 

Ronita wrote:
Oh contraire to myself....
I was thinking how TNC was trying to stop Opponents of 58 - got that stuck in my brain - and made a mistake in expressing myself.
TNC is spending over a million PROMOTING Amendment 58.
They WANT the $320 million that taxes on oil and gas companies in Colorado would be mandated to cough up, for part of that would go to: "wildlife preservation, clean energy programs...drinking water grants and a reserve fund."
I see TNC's far reaching tentacles dipping deeply into all of those areas.
Maybe some would end up in Hank Paulson's hands, to "bail out their fellow TNC colleague???"
Apologies for incorrectly using the word "stop" when it should of been "promote"... Amendment 58.



Article follows as published in The Greeley Tribune - Sept 25, 2008


9/25/2008 10:15 AM MDT on greeleytribune.com

Nature Conservancy tries to stop 58

The Nature Conservancy gave more than $1 million to stop Colorado Amendment 58.

In 2006, TNC received more than $100 million in federal funding.

TNC was given more than $15 million federal dollars to acquire land in southern Colorado, for buffer zones around the U.S. Army's planned maneuver site expansion. When the Army mentioned possible usage of eminent domain, TNC allegedly withdrew their offer to partner -- leaving them with unused millions.

Should Colorado's Attorney General investigate how TNC processed the government funded part of their banked bucks, possibly peeling some of it off to sue the government; or contribute to political causes?

Roni Bell Sylvester, La Salle

Election letters

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