[Chat] FW: MaryPIRG alert: Stop shady land deals

[Crystal]

Date: Tue, 23 Nov 2004 16:18:56 -0500 

Dear MaryPIRG supporter,

In the past two years, the state has collected $280
million for the Program Open Space Fund for preserving
parks, fields, forests and farmland.  At the end of
the budget process, however, only $18 million of that 
money was used for its intended purpose.

In addition, the Ehrlich administration has developed
a list of "excess properties" that were purchased with
land conservation funding to be protected from
development permanently.  The administration plans to
sell some of these lands to generate revenue.

Please take a moment to tell the governor you care
about protecting natural areas.  Then, forward this
message to people you know who may want to help with
this effort.

To take action, click on this link or paste it into
your web browser: 
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=789&id4=ES


Background

Since its inception in 1969, Maryland's land
conservation programs have created 4,300 local parks,
saved half a million acres of farmland, and 
saved 250,000 acres of wilderness areas.

These programs are funded largely through the real
estate transfer tax, a one-half of one percent tax on
real estate sales.  Tying land conservation to real
estate sales ensures that protecting our most valuable

natural areas will keep pace with Maryland's growing
problem of suburban sprawl.

The idea is to protect these lands permanently -- when
the state buys them, they will never be developed.

Unfortunately, never might not really mean never.

Gov. Ehrlich recently proposed to sell 800 acres in
Southern Maryland, including sensitive wetlands, to a
politically-connected developer named Willard
Hackerman.  This land, purchased by Program Open
Space, was to be sold below market price without a
guarantee of preservation.  Hackerman planned to
develop luxury homes on the property.

Since this scandal hit the headlines, Hackerman has
retreated from the deal.  But in the midst of it, the
Ehrlich administration released a list it had prepared
of preserved land that could be sold to generate 
revenue.  The list contains 3,000 acres of properties
in 16 counties.

At the same time, the word on the street is that the
governor's proposed budget for next year will again
gut the funding for Program Open Space.  In the past
two years, $260 million has been taken from the 
program.  We are likely to see similar figures
proposed next year.

If enough public attention is put on this issue,
however, we believe we can restore funding and prevent
any future shady deals.

Please take a moment to tell the governor you care
about protecting natural areas.  Then, forward this
message to people you know who may want to help with
this effort.

To take action, click on this link or paste it into
your web browser: 
http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=789&id4=ES

Sincerely, 

Brad Heavner
MaryPIRG State Director
bradh at marypirg.org
http://www.MaryPIRG.org

P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free
to share this e-mail with your family and friends.



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