The only irresponsibility related to the Property Fairness Initiative 933 is the series of outrageous claims that members of Futurewise, Nature Conservancy and the Washington Environmental Council are making in regard to the nature and impact of I-933. According to those who are speaking for these environmental organizations, I-933 will cost billions of dollars, cause widespread irresponsible development, traffic gridlock and loss of agricultural land.
Since most people have not read the text of I-933, it is greatly unfair to make these outrageous claims. Look at the facts: This initiative has been put forth by Washington state farmers. The Snohomish County Farm Bureau has had an active roll in writing this Property Fairness Initiative and did not want this to be a developer’s windfall in any way, shape or form, with the result that the builders association is not supporting it. However, farmers need this initiative to save their farmland.
We are asking for fairness from the government when they regulate our land. Why farmers? Farmers need a lot of land in growing food crops and regulation affects them a lot more in comparison to homeowners, causing them to lose their land. Why are environmentalists spreading this disinformation about I-933? Because they greatly benefit financially when farmland gets converted into wetland! In fact, in the last couple of years Snohomish County farmers lost over 2,000 acres not to developers, but to environmental causes. If environmental organizations and other entities can buy farmland for $3,000 per acre and then turn around and sell it for $150,000 per acre to the Lake Stevens School District for wetland mitigation, it’s financially to their benefit to engage in an expensive media disinformation program to try and defeat I-933. I would urge you to read the initiative yourself at www.wsfb.com.
John Postema
Snohomish County Farm Bureau president
Snohomish
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