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Harmony with land is like harmony with a friend; you cannot cherish his right hand and chop off his left. That is to say, you cannot love game and hate predators; you cannot conserve the waters and waste the ranges; you cannot build the forest and mine the farm. The land is one organism.
~ Ibid |
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Media Stories
Editorials
Say yes, again, to PDR
I strongly favor the preservation of Washington County’s farmland and the PDR program passed by the County Board in March. To me, the cost of two or three gallons of gas per year from each of our 125,000 residents to save our food production, water recharge capacity, and rural nature is a responsible and affordable decision.
Consider that only after countless hours spent by a representative committee of board members, citizens and county professionals exploring farm preservation concepts successful elsewhere, did our county board adopt the study group’s recommended PDR program keyed to reimbursing willing farmers for the value lost by permanently prohibiting development. The project was supported by a vast majority of surveyed citizens. The annual cost to county residents: $800,000 or about 10 percent of the county sales tax ("seed money" that would expand two or three times from federal, state and private sources).
But now, board members who unsuccessfully attempted to defeat this voluntary project in March are trying again (with a new chairman and some new board members). These opponents label the PDR plan "arrogant;" but In my view, they are the ones who strive to place themselves above the majority. If you are concerned, tell your Washington County supervisor to reaffirm the PDR program, and then to move on with the task of placing priority on our future.
Richard Finch, Town of Farmington
Daily News ~ June 5, 2006
Stick with PDR Initiative
After being so pleased that the Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) was agreed to in March, I am very unhappy to discover that it is being considered all over again.
County Board Chairman Thomas Sackett apparently has more power in his new job than I thought.
I think that the PDR is one of the best ways to use public money that I have heard recently, and strongly back it.
Cheri Hron/West Bend
Daily News ~ May 12, 2006
Preserve rural character
R.D. Ziegler, Town of West Bend. March 21, 2005.
Fallen apples
Richard Finch, Farmington. February 3, 2005
News Releases
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