Land question draws $50,000

Groups report contributions on Washington County referendum

By DON BEHM
dbehm@journalsentinel.com

March 28, 2007

West Bend - Groups campaigning on each side of Tuesday's referendum on a Washington County purchase-of-development rights program reported total contributions of $49,679 in financial statements filed with the county clerk this week.

The Madison-based Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance launched a "Vote No" campaign in late March with a $15,000 contribution to itself, a statement says.

The Washington County Citizens for Farmland & Natural Areas, sponsor of a "Vote Yes" for land preservation campaign, collected $34,679 in contributions and in-kind donations of meeting space and other services, according to the statement filed by the group's treasurer, Bill Neureuther of Richfield.

The referendum question will ask voters if they approve spending "at least $800,000 per year for 10 years" to pay willing landowners to not develop agricultural land.

To date, the homeowners alliance has not reported expenditures, but it has placed advertisements in several weekly shopper newspapers, mailed informational cards and placed automated telephone calls to county residents urging a "no" vote, said William Malkasian, secretary and treasurer of the alliance.

Neither the ads nor the telephone messages identify the homeowners alliance as the sponsor.

The alliance is financed with a portion of dues paid by members of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, Malkasian said. Malkasian also is the president of that association.

The homeowners alliance became involved in the county referendum at the request of a local Realtors chapter, according to Malkasian.

One reason that some local Realtors are opposed to the referendum is that it commits the county to spending $800,000 a year before there is a plan to implement such a program, he said.

Donations from residents

More than 80 county residents and businesses gave contributions to the Washington County Citizens for Farmland & Natural Areas, the group's statement shows. Contributions range from $10 to $1,000 from Town of Jackson Supervisor Robert Retko, chairman of the citizens group.

Among the few out-of-county contributions was the $500 given by John Limbach of Naples, Fla.

The "Vote Yes" campaign has been mailing fliers, distributing yard signs, buying local radio and shopper newspaper advertisements and placing automated telephone calls to residents, Neureuther said.