Editorial

Date: June 7, 2006

The reasons for PDRs are many

Washington County Supervisor Charlene Brady has made a point about PDRs (the Purchase of Development Rights) that sounds logical on the surface, but misses the main point about preserving prime farmland.

Brady of Germantown says PDRs are "unfair" because only a few farmers will benefit, while all taxpayers pay the county sales tax.

First, the farmers who own prime soils will get their money one way or another - either by selling to a developer or selling an easement under PDR.

Second, by keeping farmland in production, the beneficiaries are not few, but many:

* All county residents who depend on agri-business for jobs - 5,000 in the county. We are already losing manufacturing jobs; do we want to lose farm-based jobs as well?

* All county residents who value a stable, secure, local source of food and fiber. We can’t take food and fiber production for granted in a global world that is unstable economically and politically.

* All county residents who want their property values to remain high. Sprawl reduces such valuations. Preservation of open spaces raises values.

* All county residents who appreciate wildlife, clean water, scenic vistas, low traffic roads for cycling and the rural character of the Kettle Moraine.

It would be unfair and unwise to let our county go the way of Waukesha County, where blacktop and residential subdivisions have prevailed over working farmland. Once farmland is gone; it’s gone forever.

Kine Icks Torinus
Town of West Bend