SGA-Backed PDR Fails
SGA Vice President
On April 3, Washington County voters voted overwhelmingly against the Purchase of Development Rights referendum (PDR), a measure that would have reduced the amount of developable farmland in the county. While statewide turnout was slightly lower than expected, Washington County printed 6,000 additional ballots.
UW-WC's student government had been campaigning for the referendum for the previous month. After releasing a resolution of support for the measure, the group ran a campus-wide campaign attempting to educate students about the referendum and its implications.
"People did not understand the proposal," said UW-WC Student Senator Anthony DeWees, "this is something that is very difficult to pass through a referendum."
"PDR's can be difficult to explain and for the public to understand," said Robert Retko, chairman of the Land Conservation Partnership of Washington County, the primary organizer of the countywide "Vote Yes" campaign.
The primary organizer of the "Vote No" campaign was the Wisconsin Realtors Association.
"The referendum was short on details and voters in Washington County made that clear," said Joe Murray, director of Political and Government Affairs for the WRA. "How would voters know where the program would be put in place?"
The Madison-based group was quick to point out it is not an anti-conservation organization, but simply looking out for the best interests of the real estate market.
The referendum's cost would have been $800,000 annually spread over 10 years, roughly 1 percent of the annual county budget. Farmers could voluntarily limit future development of their land through a land preservation easement, in exchange for compensation by the county and with funds matched from funding sources outside of county government.
Nationwide, PDR programs preserve an estimated 400,000 acres (625 square miles) of farmland. The earliest programs began in New York in 1974. Within Washington County, PDR easements have been used by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to preserve environmentally sensitive areas around the Milwaukee River.
"I do not foresee the Land Conservation Partnership pursuing another referendum," said Retko, "however this is just one tool in the box. Direct purchasing of land for open space is another."
While the issue is unlikely to go to the voters again anytime soon, students who are interested in supporting land preservation and conservation are encouraged to contact the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust (www.owlt.org) and the Land Conservation Partnership of Washington County (www.lcpwc.org).
