|
|
People working together for social, economic and environmental justice in Tennessee
|
SOCM Action Alerts
News of hearings and pending legislation... Things you can do now to help SOCM members organize and take action for justice in Tennessee.
|
|
ABANDONED MINES CLEANUP CAMPAIGN
Since 1999 SOCM members have worked to build county and state level support for the AML campaign.
Now we are working with the Citizens Coal Council to get an AML
reauthorization and reform bill passed by the US Senate.
|
|
|
ABOUT MOUNTAINTOP REMOVAL
There are currently four Mountaintop Removal operations in Tennessee. The largest is the 2100 acre mine in the community of Elk Valley in Campbell County.
There is the possibility of as many as twelve Mountaintop Removal mines in the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area.
In Tennessee the coal industry is calling Mountaintop Removal "Cross Ridge Mining." In this
type of Mountaintop Removal, all or most of a mountain is removed and then the operator attempts to put the mountain back to approximate original contour.
SOCM members across the state are working to keep this practice from spreading. Let's send the message that we won't let them do to our state what they have done to West Virginia and Kentucky.
• Contact Governor Bredesen to tell him to keep this kind of
mining out of our state!
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. If you are willing to write a letter to the editor, please email lauren@socm.org.
|
|
|
TOXICS/AERIAL SPRAYING:
SOCM is working toward obtaining legislation and/or regulations covering aerial spraying.
If you feel your health has been affected by aerial spraying of pesticides or fertilizers in your area, please call the SOCM toll free hot line at 1-800-431-7626.
Leave your name and phone number and a SOCM representative will contact you.
Or SEND AN E MAIL and please include your name, phone number, and some information about the problems you are experiencing.
|
|
|
|
FAIR TAXATION:
As a member of the statewide coalition Tennesseans
for Fair Taxation (TFT) since 1991, SOCM has been actively involved in the fight
for fair taxes. Tennessee’s current tax structure relies heavily on a state
sales tax. Tennessee now taxes food, clothing and other basic necessities at 7%
with local governments often adding up to another 2.5%. This places an unfair
burden on low-income families who spend a higher proportion of their income on
food and basic needs.
As a TFT member, SOCM worked for a “Tax Swap Bill” during the 2006 Tennessee
legislative session. This bill would have reduced Tennessee’s food tax and
replaced the revenue with an increase in the cigarette tax. (See the
SOCM Economic Issues Committee
page for more information about this bill.)
What you can do:
•
Please let your legislators know
that you appreciate their support for the Tax Swap Bill if they did vote for
it. If you are unsure of a legislator’s position, you can contact SOCM at (865)
426-9455 to learn more.
• Write a letter to the editor of your local paper in support of tax reform in Tennessee.
(Check out http://yourtax.org for more information on tax reform.)
•
Send an e mail to SOCM or call 865-426-9455 to learn more about getting actively involved in passing tax reform.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
|
|
|
UPCOMING HEARINGS:
None scheduled at this time.
|
|
|
UPCOMING SOCM EVENTS:
• Join us
for our annual SOCM Lobby Day in Nashville on Tuesday, March 20th. For more
information or to sign up, please contact SOCM at
info@socm.org or 865.426.9455.
|
|
|
|
OTHER ISSUES
If you are interested in attending a SOCM chapter meeting in your area or in finding out more details about any of SOCM's committees,
please go to the CONTACTS page for the appropriate person(s) to contact.
|
|
|
|
|
