Q: What is the purpose of the petition?
A: The petition provides a way of demonstrating widespread grassroots
support for halting the land auctions and repealing Section 548.
The petition states in clear terms a set of concerns that the signers
hold in common. The petition indicates the immediate actions needed
and the direction in which we need to move. It provides a counter
to expected attempts on the part of Section 548 proponents to misrepresent
public concerns. By signing the petition, organizations join a communications
network that keeps them informed and increases their effectiveness.
Q: How will the petition be used?
A: The petition will be presented to a variety of elected and appointed
officials, including the Governor, The head of the Department of
Capital Asset Management, the legislative leadership, and local
legislators. The petition can be cited by the various signing organizations
to show that their concerns over land reuse are shared by others.
Q: What is the relationship between signers?
A: Each signing organization is viewed as an equal co-sponsor of
the petition and each can use the petition as it wishes to promote
the goals of the petition. A variety of organizations are distributing
the petition through their websites and contacts.
Q: My legislator said (s)he supports our goals. Can we simply
step back and let legislators provide the leadership?
A: Incumbents are always interested in showing their responsiveness
to citizen complaints, and its great to see that a growing number
of legislators are now speaking out against Section 548. However,
continued grass roots leadership is important to build the pressure
for reform, convince other legislators to back away from Section
548, keep the real goals clear, prevent deals that can thwart reform,
and ensure that a democratic process prevails.
Q: What about broader and longer term needs for affordable
housing, open space protection, land use reform, and community-driven
smart growth?
A: These are critical issues that many of the petition signers are
working on, and which need greater attention and support. But the
petition itself is carefully focused to allow us to quickly organize
a citizenÃs call for immediate preventive action. We hope to prevent
irreparable harm by acting now, in this legislative session (which
means January-June of 2005). After that, it is hoped that the signing
organizations will continue working together to build grassroots
support for morre fundamental land use reforms that are urgently
needed to provide affordable housing and open space preservation
in a framework of sustainable, just, community-driven development.
Text of the Petition (and
signatures)
How your organization can join
the effort.