[Capr-announce] CAPR News November 2009

Fri Nov 27 15:20:48 PST 2009

CAPR NEWS

THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FROM CITIZENS’ ALLIANCE FOR PROPERTY RIGHTS

November, 2009

Inaugural CAPR Governing Board Meeting Held

The first CAPR Governing Board meeting was held in Bellevue on October 24th.
Nine of the ten CAPR chapters sent representatives, including those from the
Ventura Co., California chapter.  The session ran for a marathon 8 hours and
dealt more with organizational nuts-and-bolts than property initiatives,
which will dominate future meetings.  The Board will meet twice per year
with special meetings as warranted to push major initiatives.

The chapters have many concerns in common including upcoming revisions to
Shorelines Management Plans which run the risk of significant adverse
effects on the many shoreline property owners.  Many chapters also are
working on issues particular to their areas.  For instance, the Wahkiakum
Co. chapter in southwest Washington is fighting against intentional flooding
of properties by environmental groups such as Ducks Unlimited.  These groups
are buying low-lying parcels and flooding them which in turn floods onto
neighboring parcels, turning them also into wetlands.

Another example of a local battle which shows evidence of spreading is the
taking of water rights in eastern Washington.  The Kittitas chapter is
fighting a moratorium on the drilling of individual wells for single family
use.  While these wells have traditionally been exempt from the waiting line
for new water use, the Department of Ecology slapped the moratorium on
western Kittitas Co. until that county comes up with a “new” water plan that
D.O.E. likes.  Of course this is contrary to the way that the state G.M.A.
says planning should be done, but so far D.O.E. is in control.  Stay tuned
on this one.

Given the tone of the meeting and the subsequent email traffic between the
various chapters, it appears that CAPR’s initiative to expand statewide will
quickly produce dividends.  This is an exciting point in our development!

Stretch Your Donation!

If you are considering making a donation to CAPR, you can make it count
double now.  Three donors have pledged $1,000 each in matching donations.
If you donate, they will match your gift dollar for dollar while funds last.
Plan to add CAPR to your year-end giving.  CAPR and CAPR PAC are especially
in need currently.  However, if you are looking for a tax deduction, the
CAPR Legal Fund is your choice.

You can donate by going to www.capr.us <http://www.capr.us/>  and clicking
on the Donate tab.

Also, if you plan to join or renew your CAPR membership for 2010, note that
memberships that arrive in November and December count towards next year.
Help us help you!

CAPR Election Nominations

The CAPR Nominating Committee is accepting names of individuals who are
interested in serving on the Executive Board.  One must be a CAPR member and
have a serious interest in property rights.  A strong constitution is also
helpful(!)  If you or someone you want to recommend is interested, please
send a brief bio to darcors at comcast.net.  The goal is to have multiple
candidates for each position for the election to be held in the first
quarter of 2010.  We are especially interested in candidates from outside
King Co.

Forschler Elected to Seatac City Council

We would like to congratulate Rick Forschler, the new President of the King
Co. Chapter, on his recent election to the Seatac City Council! 

King Co. Council Say No to D.D.E.S.

On November 23rd the King County Council unanimously approved the 2010
County budget.  It did not approve a request from the Department of
Development and Environmental Services which would have raised its hourly
fee by 33% to a whopping $192 an hour.  Apparently Council members got a lot
of feedback on the issue.  Thanks go out to all CAPR supporters who
contacted their council member on the issue.

Spokane Nixes Prop. 4

If you were disappointed by the results of the last election in your area,
consider what voters in Spokane encountered.  A group out of Pennsylvania
named the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (say that three times,
fast!) decided to see if one of its social experiments would stick on the
city, perhaps figuring from past elections that anything goes in Washington.
The group tried to amend the city charter with Proposition 4, also known as
the Community Bill of Rights.  Upon passage, the city would have been
required to provide citizens with ten
<http://www.envisionspokane.org/Community%20Bill%20of%20Rights%20-%20Amendme
nts.doc>  “rights” including affordable health care, local products for
purchase, affordable renewable energy, union level wages for non-union work
and, well, you get the picture.  The trump “right”, and our property tie-in
here, was Number 5 which would have given rights to the Spokane River and
all groundwaters.  Of course, Number 5 would have controlled everything
including anybody’s ability to pay those union level wages.

As bizarre as this measure was, national groups including the National
Association of Realtors stepped in to help the “No” campaign be sure the
measure didn’t get a toe hold.  This is Washington after all.

76% of the voters said “NO”.  We would like to think that the other 24% were
uninformed and liked the warm and fuzzy ballot title, but we’re not that
naïve.      

Meetings and Events

Grant Co. Monthly Meeting

The Grant Co. Chapter holds its monthly meetings at 7:00 PM every third
Wednesday of the month at Bob’s Café located at 1807 Kittleson Rd. in Moses
Lake.  Come early for dinner and conversation.

King Co. Monthly Meeting  

Meetings of the King Co. Chapter are held on the first Thursday of the
month.  The next meeting will be held at 7:00 PM, Thursday, December 3rd.
The meeting site will be the IHOP Restaurant located at 1433 NW Sammamish
Rd. in Issaquah.  This month’s guest will be Bill Thomas from the Resources
Coalition which is CAPR’s newest affiliate.  Consider coming early for
dinner and conversation.

Pierce Co. Monthly Meeting

The Pierce County Chapter holds its monthly meetings at 7:00 PM on the
second Thursday of every month.  The meeting location is the Paradise
Village Bowl Conference Room located at 12505 Pacific Ave. S. in Tacoma.
For more information you can send email to piercecapr at yahoo.com or call
President Wendy Birnbaum at 253-677-0612.

San Juan Monthly Meeting

The San Juan Chapter holds its monthly meeting on the first Tuesday of the
month at 6:00 PM.  The meeting is held at the San Juan Island Grange Hall.
For more info on CAPR San Juan, visit www.CAPR-SanJuan.org
<http://www.capr-sanjuan.org/> .

Donate to CAPR Online

You can now donate to CAPR online.  Go to www.capr.us <http://www.capr.us/>
(same as proprights.org) and click on the DONATE tab.  Even as a volunteer
organization, the level of funding available determines what we can
accomplish in the fight to preserve and protect property rights.  Help us
help you.  Donate!

Matching Contributions

If you work for a company, which adds matching funds to charitable
contributions, remember the CAPR Legal Fund.  All donations to the Legal
Fund are tax deductible and the additional contribution by your employer
makes leverages your contribution towards protecting your property rights.

Jeff Wright

Secretary, CAPR

E-mail:        darcors at comcast.net 

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