Forests Forever

Letter Writing Tips

Print your name and address under your signature.
Make sure your letter is clearly legible and in your own words.
Ask for a response in writing, informing you how they will address your concerns.

TO: Gov. Jerry Brown.

SUBJECT: End the $18 million annual taxpayer subsidy of timber harvest monitoring.

Address your comments to Gov. Jerry Brown online here.

Send letter or call:

Gov. Jerry Brown
State Capitol, Suite 1173
Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 445-2841

Fax: (916) 558-3160 - See more at:

TO: Natural Resources Secretary John Laird

SUBJECT: End the $18 million annual taxpayer subsidy of timber harvest monitoring.

Address your comments to Secretary Laird by email here.

Write or call:

The Honorable John Laird
Secretary for Natural Resources
California Natural Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 653-5656

Fax: (916) 653-8102

TO: Speaker of the Assembly John A. Pérez

SUBJECT: End the $18 million annual taxpayer subsidy of timber harvest inspections.

Visit his website here. Email him here.

Write or call:

Capitol Office
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0046

Tel: (916) 319-2046

Fax: (916) 319-2146

District Office
320 West 4th Street
Room 1050
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Tel: (213) 620-4646

Fax: (213) 620-6319

TO: Assemblymember Roger Dickinson

SUBJECT: Thank you for supporting the fair funding of timber harvest inspections by the California Dept. of Fish and Game.

Thank Assemblymember Dickinson for introducing A.B. 1005. Let him know you support his plan to reinstate and fund DFG timber inspections throughout California.

Visit his website here.

Write, fax or call:

Capitol Office:
State Capitol
P.O. Box 942849
Sacramento, CA 94249-0009

(916) 319 - 2009

(916) 319 - 2109 Fax

District Office:
915 L Street, Suite 110
Sacramento, CA 95814

(916) 324-4676

(916) 327-3338 fax

In addition, in districts other than Dickinson’s or Perez’, contact your Assemblymember and ask his or her support for A.B. 1005. To find your Assemblymember and contact information, visit the California State Assembly Internet portal.

SAMPLE LETTER 1:

Dear _________________,

It is shocking to learn from a recent Legislative Analyst's Office report that California taxpayers are subsidizing the timber industry in excess of $18 million every year!

Most other California industries pull their own weight, paying the cost of regulatory fees, but not the timber industry. Taxpayer money is being used to pay regulatory fees that the timber industry ought to be shouldering.

I urge you to rectify this unfair situation so taxpayers get a break and state regulatory agencies can do their job.

A big step in the right direction would be to support A.B. 1005, introduced by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson. That bill would restore funding for timber harvest inspections by the California Dept. of Fish & Game (DFG). The $1.5 million cut from the state's budget last year has done significant harm, with DFG inspectors unable to do the work required of them by law.

Sincerely,

You name and address

SAMPLE LETTER 2:

Dear ________________:

Last year, according to a recent report from the Legislative Analyst's Office, the timber industry paid only $550,000 of the more than $18 million it cost the state to monitor logging operations for compliance with state environmental laws.

Why are taxpayers subsidizing the timber industry? Most other industries in the state shoulder the cost of environmental regulations.

With taxpayer money tight, the monitoring of timber industry operations has suffered. Ever since former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drastically cut funding for on-the-ground inspections of timber harvests, the Dept. of Fish and Game (DFG) has struggled to meet even a small portion of the needed inspections.

Only a fully staffed and equipped DFG inspection team can assure the integrity of California's threatened and endangered species. Please support A.B. 1005, introduced by Assemblymember Roger Dickinson.