Good Evening Fellow GIS'ers,



For the first time that I can remember the GeoLibrary is being included in
a budget ask that extends to creating two new positions and a $500,000
annual appropriation for acquiring spatial data!



*It is of critical importance that all of you on this listserv contact the
Governor, your State Senator and Representative to explain why this matters
to you.*



Two documents are attached to this email. The 600 + page budget document
that the Appropriations Committee will review with the legislative
committees and a word doc that has the specific line items applying to the
GeoLibrary highlighted in yellow on pages *A29 and A30*. The word doc also
has contact info for the Governor and finding your Senator and
Representative.



The Board is working on some specific talking points that will apply
generically across the state and will be providing them to the GIS
community soon. However!! Most importantly it is important for your
legislators to know how this will help you in your work at their local
level in their district!  We do not know when the review of The Geolibrary
line items will take place. It is very likely we will receive very short
notice of when and where it will happen.



This is the best chance we have had in decades to get the GIS support that
is so critically needed in this increasingly digital world!



Please don't put this off, it is important to do this now!  *Please act
TODAY!!*  Feel free to forward this email and information to others in your
GIS community.


Beggingly!!!


Joseph Young
Former Board Member

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