Picking sides

I mentioned in a previous post that Governor Napolitano's regressive policies could be explained by her support of the "academic elite" wing of the Democratic Party instead of the more traditional or "Jacksonian" wing.

The Governor's state trust land initiative provides another example where the interests of the wealthy "elite" wing are pitted against the traditional "teacher" wing and she again sides with the elites.   

But don't take my word for it.  Here's how Howie Fischer described the initiative.

Put 570,000 acres of state trust land off-limits to development, and allow communities to buy at appraised price instead of having to bid at auction.

• Reason: Current mandate to Land Department to get most money for trust lands requires sale or lease for development to highest bidder.

• Major backers: Nature Conservancy, former state Democratic Party Chairman Jim Pederson. About $800,000 so far.

• Likely opposition: Arizona School Boards Association, which fears undermining of funds for schools.

The federal government set aside trust land at statehood in order to provide financial support for schools.  The land is to sold as it gets more valuable and the money is used for education.   Naturally, developers who own large tracks of land and people who own homes on the fringe would prefer to see that land retired instead of sold.

Developers like Pederson will see the value of their existing holdings rise since they don't have to compete with trust land, while homeowners on the fringe will have the luxury of living in wide open spaces without having to pay to retire the land. 

In exchange, the schools forgo the revenue that would have been generated by the sale. 

I can think of no better example of the Governor's priorities. 

Comments

[todd]

Let's see.
The Arizona Education Association strongly supports it. Wouldn't you say that might imply the so-called "teacher" wing is in agreement.

I think a better reading is that since Pederson, a large land developer, is leading this and the The Home Builders Association of Central Arizona pledged to not oppose it this is mildly helpful to land developers in some way (and they are the real power in the state). The Nature Conservancy, a very moderate environmental group which is more interested in managing preserves than in environmental protections, has teamed up with a center-right governor to create an bill which doesn't address the real problems Arizona faces but rather does keep from stepping on any powerful interests' toes.

[ron]

Remind me again how Pederson made his millions that he spent to run for Senator Kyl's seat. Probably a good reason to vote against it.

[North Valley Republican]

This is a bad plan. I was warned in 2001 that this was going to happen. At the time, responsible educators opposed the idea of giving up any income that could go to finance education.

Now, because it's a liberal approach, those same "responsible" people are suddenly for it. How does that make sense.

Greg, you see the real advantage for those who moved to the fringes of the Valley. They love it. They get what they want, less people in the area which they have already settled and they didn't have to pay for it.

No wonder we're 50th in funding schools. Even teachers are willing to sacrifice funds for political gain.

[Ann]

Thanks Greg! Again, we are faced with big money, big power, and big out of state interests in a fight to keep what rightfully belongs to the schools of our state. It cost a million dollars to buy enough petition signatures to make the ballot. Last time around they spent over $2 million on the actual campaign. They will do it again.

Teachers aren't willing to sacrifice anything for political gain; it is the teacher's union leadership that is thirsty for more power. Mr. Wright has no desire to go back to the Rez, and is hoping he can make good with the Guv before his gig is up with the AEA. In ’06 when they tried this last, most teachers had no idea how it would affect them and when they found out...they were not happy!

The reality is those lands can be purchased now, just like the City of Phoenix did recently. But, like the old saying goes, why buy the cow when you can get the milk for half-price? This is the bazillionth attempt to take those lands, the Homebuilders have opposed it every time. This go ‘round the tax initiative was held over their heads. Funny how it actually played out...not like Jim and Janet expected. No one ever accused Connie Wilhelm of being politically stupid.

It is, once again, a blatant attempt to take a resource intended for a public purpose, a public good, and basically steal it for a private interest. The whole public lands thing, open space, and conservation is a smoke screen for a cheap way to acquire land that belongs to another entity, when there already exists a fair and equitable way to protect those areas. But, who would benefit from that?

[ron]

I haven't voted for one of these intiaitives in my almost 30 years here - and I am not about to change my voting record :)

[nick]

Center-right governor bets the Lottery
will pay the University bonds.

[Steve Rogers]

Correct if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that the support of education by the sale of state land is something of a Ponzi scheme. Sure, the educators get some upfront money into the trust that earns interest, which goes back to education. But once that land is developed, you end up with a lot of new houses filled with kids who need to go to school, which is a bigger--and ongoing--expense.

[Christy]

Greg, you've got it! This is all about special interest. Special interests, mind you, who are too "poor" to compete with developers, but can bankroll an initiative. Hmm, guess the TNC would rather not pay our school children and save up all that money to buy private land, which they seem to forget is exactly what trust lands are.

And where is education? What's sad is that there is only one group standing firm on this. The School Boards get that you can't complain about school funding when you give away the farm. They seem to stand for principles rather than stay beholden to the Democratic party. On the other hand, the teacher's union is willing to give away billions of dollars of land -- they'd rather serve the Party than their own members. All the while, our school kids are hanging in the wind. They've become political pawns in a special interest game.

[Ann]

In response to Steve Rogers, I see your point but it is in fact the opposite. The numbers of children who come in to the schools are not coming because the land was sold, they would be here anyway. The land parcel is only released when there is sufficient demand to expect a competitive auction. When growth has reached certain areas and the sale of parcels would benefit the trust, they are offered at auction. Not at appraised value but auction, bringing the highest yield to the trust.

During the formation of our state, it was perceived that there would be tremendous growth in the big land states. Huge private profit and corruption could be possible if land barons and elected politicians took control of strategic areas and large parcels putting the burden onto the state, meaning taxpayers. They felt it only right that the public receive some benefit from that potential, should it occur. This was a sort of checks and balance system. Our state constitution was written as to form a trust and was required as a part of the US Congress granting statehood!

See any similarity in the current situation? Private interests want some trust lands for their own purpose. But…how to get it cheap without looking like they are taking money from schools? Get an education entity involved! Enter a union president who wants to be seen as a player and a close friend to the governor. The governor, a politician with her eyes on the next big election, needs to make well heeled friend in high places for the big bucks. The kind needed for a Senate race. Who would know how much and how to do that? Enter Jim Pederson and The Nature Conservancy. What a perfect match. Pederson writes a check for the signatures, the governor hamstrings the groups that opposed this issue previously, and the union lends legitimacy as far as education is concerned. TNC and NEA pump their millions into a campaign. What will the payback be to the teachers’ union, to the guv, to the TNC, and to Jim Pederson? With Janet, there is always a payback.

There is nothing keeping The Nature Conservancy, and whatever other groups associated, from buying these lands and putting them into conservation when, if ever, they come up for auction. The City of Phoenix just purchased trust land to be reserved. The McDowell Mountains are often used as an example of what devastation would be wrought if not protected. Here’s the news flash on that one; anyone who, for years, has enjoyed those undisturbed mountains as “their backyard” knew it was trust land. They knew who owned it and why. Much of the value in their home is because those mountains are there and undeveloped. They have enjoyed the benefit of the trust land for years…now they somehow feel they own it and no one has the right to “their mountains”.

If the McDowell Mountains are put into conservation, just how much does that increase the value of those houses around it? Who benefits from that when their house is sold? Not the trust. If other parcels are set aside and there is adjacent open land, which is the case in many areas, who owns that land (or knows which ones they are, has the money to buy and develop them), just how much has that land increased in value now? Who gets to make a bazillion percent increase? Not the trust.

You want to talk about a scheme? This prop is a scheme alright!

[Patrick]

Why is AEA supporting this? Because the AEA and the Democratic Party are one in the same and their membership is too clueless to notice. This initiative is not in the interest of education. I would go further in the criticism of the Governor -- she and her land commissioner have a FIDUCIARY responsibility to the beneficiaries of the trust and are not living up to that LEGAL obligation, all in pursuance of a legacy with a key political constituency. The Governor is showing her true colors here.

[John H.]

The Arizona Education Association supports "Our Land, Our Schools" because of its importance to public schools. Arizona is currently ranked nearly last in the nation in funding for public schools. Our Land, Our Schools will provide Arizona with the resources necessary to increase its investment in education and compete in today’s global economy.

Public schools and the students they serve have a valuable asset in Arizona’s State Trust Land. With more than 9 million acres held in trust, Arizona must make responsible land management decisions while leveraging the trust to benefit public school students.

This initiative will reform land management by providing adequate resources to the state’s Land Department to enhance their efforts. With proper resources, Arizona can accelerate potential proceeds of the trust to estimates of up to $1 billion per year.

Voting yes on Our Land, Our Schools will ensure more funding for education by enhancing the value of the land held in trust. Not only can the Land Department sell more land, it can extract more value from each parcel that is sold or leased.

While doing all that the initiative will preserve nearly 600,000 acres of open spaces with a provision that only allows certain parcels to be sold for conservation. Most of the acres affected by this provision are not candidates for development due to terrain, habitat, water supply, or the importance of the land to Arizona. These lands are State Parks, forests, National Monuments, and wildlife corridors.

The Arizona Education Association requests a Yes vote on Our Land, Our Schools.

[Big Sister]

Is that so, John? If you fall for that line of BS you must also believe a labor union is really an educational advocacy group. Read this...

http://dotherightthing.com/entries/750-apples-steve-jobs-unions-hurt-our-schools

or this....

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS128843+11-Mar-2008+PRN20080311

[Patrick]

Our Land, Our Schools? Can we get more Orwellian? The initiative SCREWS the schools and it's teachers that receive so much of the benefits of the Trust. That the rank and file teachers of this state are not up in arms with "their" association's position, shows that they 1) are clueless and 2) the association is an arm of the Democratic Party whose staff treat their actual membership with contempt. AEA has no shame.