I-933 turns contentious between foes at forum

The following article appeared in the October 3, 2006 Jefferson County edition of the Peninsula Daily News.

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I-933 turns contentious between foes at forum

By Jeff Chew
Peninsula Daily News

PORT TOWNSEND — One sees I-933 as damaging to the community, grossly anti-government and marketed deceitfully to the voters.

The other sees it as a way to rein in out-of-control government that is threatening his livelihood as a farmer.

Mark Dembro, Jefferson Land Trust president, and longtime Chimacum farmer Roger Short faced off Monday before about 7- people attending the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Fort Worden State Park Commons.

"I-933 is all about a process to be followed by government and how to do it," said Short, adding he has experienced some "horror stories" dealing with government as a small farmer.

He urged residents to carefully read I-933, which goes to the voters of Jefferson County through Nov. 7.

Outright, the proposal states: "This act is intended to protect the use and value of private property while providing for a healthy environment and ensuring that government agencies do not damage the sue of value of private property, except if necessary to prevent threats to human health and safety."

Dembro, who as a land rust leader helps protect more than 1,200 acres county-wide, takes a dim view of I-933.

It would, he said, set up a pay or waive system, letting property owners collect a cash payment from government by claiming that a law prevents them from the most profitable use of their property.

If the government won't pay or does not have the money, government must waive the law.

"In other words," said Dembro, "if we, the taxpayers, do not pay an individual property owner for following the law, the property owner would be free to ignore the law."

Pay or waive

What could happen, Dembro said, is developers could profit while the rest of the community pays.

Dembro said many farmers oppose I-933, including those with the Western Washington Agricultural Association, United Farm Workers, Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland and others.

Short, however, is not one of them.

He said continued over-regulation of small farmers will cause them to fade away in time, with conglomerate national and international corporations set to take over. 

For example, Short said, "more food is being grown in South America."

For this reason and others, he said, "government needs to think before it acts."

More land to preserve?

With 85 percent of Jefferson County in public hands, whey does the state Department of Fish and Wildlife need more land to preserve, Short wondered.

While opponents say the proposal would cost taxpayers up to $4 billion, Short said, it is accurate to say that it would cost $8 million to enact, according to the state Office of Budget and Management.

Dembro argued that he did not believe that I-933 supporters see what damage the act would cause.

"I believe they have made the mistake of putting their trust in people who sell the lie that government is the problem," said Dembro.

"The government is us."

Dembro called I-933 more than just an attack on farmers.

"I-933 is a broad attack on our power as citizens to authorize our government to use legitimate and necessary functions of government for our public benefit," he said.

Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.