we still have a chance! ACT NOW!!!

this message is long, but PLEASE PLEASE read it all!

so bad news... Rep. Bigelow's bill, HB444, which strips Tobacco Prevention Programs of the Tobacco Settlement money (yeah, pretty much destroys the programs) passed in the House. Bigelow was sneaky in every move to get this thing passed. now we need to stop it before it passes in Senate. here is the game plan:

ACT TODAY!!! it passed in the house in two days. we cant let it pass in the senate!

1. EMAIL, CALL, AND TEXT the Senators (especially yours!) and let them know that HB444 is a deadly bill that needs to be stopped. it will cripple Utah's success and the health of its people. tell them that you support them voting AGAINST it.
(see http://www.healthpolicyproject.org/AdvocacyToolkit.html and then to “Legislator Contact Info–Perfect for Mail Merge!” to copy and paste ALL Senate addresses into the BCC line of your email).

2. EMAIL and CALL Rep. Bigelow. we are going to flood every line he has till he has no choice but to do what he knows he should. his numbers:
home: 801.968.4188
office: 801.538.1029
email: ronbigelow@utah.gov

3. get a group together (if you need someone, call me!) to knock doors in Bigelow's District to spread the word to his constituents. he represents House District 32 (west valley area)

4. EMAIL Gov. Huntsman
http://governor.utah.gov/goca/form_governor.html

your flyers and phone calls should include:
-I won’t /don’t stand for HB444 which cripples needed tobacco prevention and quitting services in Utah ($4M cut), and siphons off every single penny of tobacco settlement funds to go to everything BUT helping people to quit.
-Raise the tobacco excise tax (HB219) AND appropriate tax funds to tobacco prevention and cessation so that as many people as possible who use tobacco can be helped to quit.
-Big tobacco addicts kids, and Utah legislators. Call Rep. Bigelow to push back against Big Tobacco’s manipulation: 801-968-4188.

See www.stopthechop.com for resources:
-March 2nd Post: Talking points on why robbing the MSA is amoral and detrimental.
-February 28th Post: Talking points on the excise tax.
-February 7th Post: Talking points on the effectiveness and need for tobacco prevention programs in Utah.

Anything can happen in these last days of the legislative session. Lots on our side. Let’s sock it to Rep. Bigelow so that Big Tobacco doesn’t sock it to Utah.


yours in the fight,
.peter.moosman.