TX Gov. Perry check this out: VA Gov. McDonnel’s Plan Includes Jobs, Wine and Oil
Virginia’s new Republican governor, Bob McDonnell, has ambitious plans for his state. He wants to put young Virginians back to work, make Virginia the first East Coast state to drill offshore, and to compete with California to become the wine capital of the United States.
McDonnell’s most ambitious plan relates to Virginia’s wine industry. “We are working to make Virginia wine better than California wine,” he said. Virginia is ranked seventh in the United States in wine production.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Virginia government recently supported tripling its funding to the Virginia Wine Board for marketing and research purposes.It is also reported that the Virginian Commonwealth Transportation Board has collected $3.5 million for a wine tourism project. Based on these two efforts, it is clear that Virginia is becoming serious about its viticulture program and wants consumers to view them in this light.
Virginia’s First Lady is also involved. Maureen McDonnell invited several media guests to a Kickoff Celebration for the 2nd Annual Virginia Wine Week at The Wine Loft in Glen Allen Virginia. Virginia Wine Week is a government imitative to encourage retailers, restaurants, and consumers to support Virginia wine, obviously by selling and purchasing the many excellent wines crafted in the commonwealth.
Governor Perry…What’s your plan?
It’s to zero out all funding for Texas wine industry, a growing $1.7 billion industry and tax generator for the state and job creator for rural Texas. Texas the fifth largest wine producer in the nation, but for how long.
Think about it for a moment….
If you are a wine consumer:
Identify and get in contact with your state representative and senator, please click the following link and enter your address: http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us. Tell them how you feel.
Tweet Texas Governor Rick Perry (@GovernorPerry) and Texas Ag Commissioner Todd Staples (@Todd_Staples) with your feelings, but please be polite about it. They might not see it, but their minions will.
If you are involved in the wine industry as a grower or winery operator:
Join the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and become an ACTIVE member of TWGGA (don’t sit back and have others do the work and ride the free ride). Get in touch with Cord Switzer (Fredericksburg Winery), Gabe Parker (Homestead Winery) or Dacota Haselwood.
Write a letter to your State Senator and State Representative or better yet call them to discuss your feelings and schedule a meeting (see link above).
IMPORTANT: Show up at the TWGGA April 13th Legislative Day in Austin, but set in advance your appointments to meet with your State Senator and State Representative. Let Cord and Gabe know about your appointments.
Read the Bills that are of concern to the Texas wine industry – SB 411, SB 438, SB 923 and very importantly HB 3289.
Be willing to show up at a hearing in the future.
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Reading about this topic for the first time, check out this link for a little background:
Governor Perry, Don’t Leave Texas Wine Behind!
https://vintagetexas.com/?p=4558
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Thanks to @WineCompass
More on Texas Wine and Grape Growers Legislative Action Day, April 13, 2011
from Dacota Haselwood, Chief Governmental Affairs Officer
President Gary Elliott and the TWGGA Legislative and Regulatory Committee invite you to participate in the industry’s third legislative action day for the 2011 session on Wednesday, April 13, 2011.
Local news media is doing a good job of relating the funding challenges facing the Texas Legislature. The projected budget shortfall is significant and many teachers and state employees will potentially lose their jobs. Your participation is of the utmost importance at this time as we are attempting to save industry development funding that provides resources through the Texas Department of Agriculture; Texas Agrilife Extension Service; Texas Tech University; Texas A&M University; and Grayson County College, TV Munson Center.
The industry also has several alcohol-related bills working through the process and there may be necessary action related to those bills as well on April 13.
Following is the schedule with details for Wednesday, April 13, 2011:
8:30 a.m. Meet at the offices of Kyle Frazier and Associates 823 Congress Ave., Ste. 620; Austin, TX.
Parking options: on the street (2 hr maximum); valet garage across the street from the building on 9th (pretty expensive); capitol visitor’s parking (see link below – 5 blocks from KFA). KFA building entry is on 9th street.
Agenda Items will be discussed and collateral material will be distributed. Coffee and Pastry’s will be provided.
9:45 a.m. Schedule your first capitol appointment for no earlier than 9:45 a.m. See list below for your state representative and state senator capitol contact information. Allow at least 45 minutes between visits.
Dacota will be in the rotunda to answer questions and provide additional collateral material and invitations.
11:30 a.m. Meet at Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill 303 Red River; Austin, TX.
Parking options: $5.00 valet; Limited street parking on nearby side streets.
Everyone will have a chance to report back to the group on their meetings.
KFA and the Capitol are within short walking distance of one another, while Moonshine Patio Bar and Grill is a long walk.
This is a link to the map of the capitol complex – shows visitor parking.
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/Plan/FloorPlan/Complex.htm
Here is the link to identify capitol contact information for your state representative and state senator. http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you again – your participation is of the utmost importance as we work the final stages of the budget process.
Dacota Haselwood
Chief Governmental Affairs Officer
Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association
http://www.txwines.org