Speak Out on Sprawl
 
(Note: You accept this Trojan Horse by commenting on 'sprawl,' therein accepting the false premise of 'smart growth,' which is neither 'smart' nor 'growth.' The 'conflict resolution' that Fonfara seeks to work on the reader is obvious by his use of blatant language deception: "People will wake up one day and say, 'What's happened to our beautiful state?' ... All the farms will be gone." This is NOT ABOUT keeping farms -- it never was! It is about CONTROLLING all the land and all the people! Please read much more on this use of language to paralyze and steal your freedom at the Delphi/Consensus button at http://www.PropertyRightsResearch.org)
November 28, 2003
 
The Hartford Courant

285 Broad St.

Hartford, CT 06115
 
860-241-6200 or 1-800-524-4242
 
 
To submit a Letter to the Editor: letters@courant.com
 
Greater Hartford, Connecticut - Earlier this year, the General Assembly's planning and development committee approved proposed legislation dealing with "smart growth." Unfortunately, the issue never reached the floor of the House or Senate.

Now the committee is scheduling informational hearings around the state to hear from the public and build support for bills to address the twin issues of sprawl and property tax reform.
 
Committee Co-Chairman John W. Fonfara of Hartford is right when he says the topic should be a high legislative priority.
 
Otherwise, he predicts, "People will wake up one day and say, 'What's happened to our beautiful state?' ... All the farms will be gone."

Committee hearings will focus on the recent report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Property Tax Burdens and Smart Growth Incentives. People may read the report on "Property Taxes & Smart Growth." by visiting the website of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities http://www.ccm-ct.org.

The next hearing will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 3, 2003, at the Hartford Public Library.

This is a chance for homeowners, businesses, nonprofit groups and local officials to weigh in on a vital topic [that is] likely to receive greater attention when the General Assembly convenes in February 2004.

Other hearings include:
 
Mansfield Community Center, 7:30 p.m., December 9;
 
New London City Hall, 7 p.m., December 17;
 
Middletown City Hall, 6:30 p.m., January 8;
 
and Torrington City Hall, 6:30 p.m., January 21.
 
Those who want more details may call Hank Pawlowski, clerk of the planning and development committee, at 860-240-0550.

One encouraging sign is greater public awareness of the need to provide incentives to developers to build in urban areas rather than scatter housing and commercial projects over the countryside, a process that harms the environment, gobbles up open space and leads to higher costs for new roads and utilities.