Voters approve record funding for land conservation

By Ernest Cook
Trust for Public Land

In the Nov. 7 election, voters in 23 states approved 99 ballot measures to increase state and local government funding for land conservation, for a total of $5.73 billion. This narrowly eclipses the previous record, set in the November 1998 election, of $5.68 billion.

The tally of all new spending authorized by voters in all 2006 elections also reached an all-time high of $6.03 billion, compared to $5.86 billion in 1998.

This month, voters considered a total of 128 conservation funding measures. The 99 that passed represent a success rate of 77 percent nationwide, which is consistent with the pattern of the last 10 years, when voters have typically approved three out of four propositions.

But what’s unusual about this year’s election results is the wide variety of communities that gave the nod to new spending for parks and land protection. Historically, government programs for land conservation have been popular in resort areas and well-to-do suburbs. But the 2006 results show that measures to increase spending on open space protection - variously described as new parks, watersheds, wildlife areas, or farms and ranches - have reached mainstream America.

Some counties that, for the first time, approved bonds or taxes for land conservation include:

• Cobb County, Ga., known for its conservative politics, where voters approved a $40-million bond
• Salt Lake County, Utah, where voters endorsed a $48-million open space bond
• Ravalli County, Mont., a rural ranching community, which approved a $10-million bond
• Hawaii and Honolulu counties, which both approved property tax measures by wide margins, and
• Washington County, Minn., where voters rejected a conservation bond in 2000 but heavily favored a $20-million bond this year.

In addition, a number of counties won renewed authorization from their voters for extending and increasing their land conservation programs.

• Sonoma County, Calif. renewed a quarter-cent sales tax set-aside with an impact over 20 years estimated at $340 million.
• Two counties in New Jersey okayed property tax measures Ñ Monmouth ($320 million) and Burlington ($412 million).
• In Nassau County, N.Y., a $100-million bond doubled the amount approved in 2004.
• After spending most of a $40-million bond approved by voters in 2000, Beaufort County, S.C., won support for a $50-million bond to extend the program.

In addition to the wide variety of counties that adopted spending measures for parks and land conservation, this November’s election was notable for the number of "landslide" victories.

Twelve of the 17 successful county measures were approved by majorities of 70 percent or more. The list is topped by Collier County, Fla., at 82 percent, but also includes extremely popular measures in Fairfax County, Va. (78 percent), Nassau County (77 percent), Prince William County, Va. (76 percent), and Burlington, Sonoma and Beaufort counties, all tied at 75 percent.

In contrast, where county measures went down to defeat, it was usually by a narrow margin. For example, voters in Seminole County, Fla., which was beset by strong storms and tornadoes on Election Day, narrowly turned down a $70-million measure with 49 percent support. In only two counties did measures get less than 40 percent support.

Several of the counties with successful measures this year have been recognized by NACo and the Trust for Public Land for outstanding conservation programs. In 2005, Burlington County, Mont. received a County Leadership in Conservation award, and in 2006, both Beaufort County, S.C. and Sonoma County, Calif. were finalists.

(Ernest Cook is the vice president for conservation finance, Trust for Public Land.)