ASSOCIATED PRESS: Tues., Sept. 11, 2007
Napolitano working on ballot plan for trust land
PHOENIX - Gov. Janet Napolitano has taken a more active role on a hard-to-crack issue, meeting with key state lawmakers to launch a new attempt to hash out a compromise on a ballot measure on state trust land. Details of a new proposal have yet to emerge, but several participants in the effort indicated that past proposals to set aside some acreage as open space without compensation to the trust won't be included.
"I think you could characterize it that there will be a mechanism to pay for lands," said Michael Haener, a Napolitano deputy chief of staff and her chief legislative lobbyist.
"There won't be free land," Sen. Carolyn Allen, a Scottsdale Republican who has been aligned with conservationists and educators on trust land issues, said Monday.
Arizona's roughly 9.3 million acres of trust land represent a century-old legacy from statehood that has seen recent unsuccessful efforts to set aside large parcels for conservation as open space while protecting funding the land provides for public schools through sales and leases.
Trust land accounts for just under 13% of the state's total real estate. Its future development or preservation, especially in urban areas, has received new attention in Arizona as sprawl increases pressure for conservation of open space at a time when the state is trying to increase funding for education.
Legislators who have worked on the issue in the past met with Napolitano in August at her invitation to explore possible areas of agreement, and aides are now doing more spadework in preparation for drafting legislation for consideration during the Legislature's 2008 session.