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merit allow', the use of government °Irr>ii.c water Hh .hires ketwet n 10's1 and 1002. Rut
<br /> power" to protect public health. saFcty, and the EPA aim' has predicted that another SI
<br /> welfare. II a connnttnin-Makes a cogent ingit trillion will be needed for additional facilities
<br /> I Her 9;, merit m limit growth based on studies- and between I )91 and 2009. and a hither ?I
<br /> w rs >*:Ii rcp'S- goads in its comprehensive plan. its resrric udhon hens to 20 I0 and 2020.
<br /> A ° 'i` ' tons could stand up to a legal challenge. Local inning must reelnne densities greater
<br /> r v „ than Pao dwelling rimes per at re to make the
<br /> Need 2: Better regional planning provision tit public sewer and water cost
<br /> `I' 41snv land-use and environmental pr< Hens eltec a ce. Also, to ni mg at rcry low densities
<br /> • 5 are regional in scope.Yet America's local goy- (one dwelling per 20 acres or more) can tin-
<br /> q `a:., " A' ernme-nts are known for their parochial ap- courage the widespread use of on-lot septic
<br /> ,,, m: , fit �..t,
<br /> "` proac h to planning in the pursuit of develop- systems and wells that can Icad ro groundwa-
<br /> 1 '1
<br /> aimed at expanding the local property ter contamination and force the city eaten-
<br /> ,
<br /> tax base. Moreover,quasi governments in the sum of sewer and water lines into .teas not
<br /> a* . , _•^* form oP sewer and water authorities, Indus- planned for growth.
<br /> trial development authurmt s.and school dis-
<br /> tricts undertake their ow n planning and de 'steed 3: Linking laud use and
<br /> velopment processes, sometimes to the (r:u1110e1alion
<br /> detriment ofneighboringcommunitiec A goy- America's heavy reliance on motor vehicles
<br /> `.. - - - ernmenr process is needed to review,modify, has created traffic L ongest:tom sprawl,and air
<br /> y m approve, or disapprove developments of re pollution. New road construction, bypasses,
<br /> gional impact_ and road widen rigs alone will nor solve these
<br /> i r Also needed are demacraucally elected re- problems. Multimod.d and intermodal trans-
<br /> gional governments, like Portland's Metro, portation systems are needed to coordin.ue
<br /> the nation's onlvelreted regional government. transportation and land-use patterns.
<br /> B x .. qy _- NIsirs encompasses parts of three counties l ransit-one tired development a tom.;rail and
<br /> t a and _'a municipalities in and around Port- busr ansitamadurs holds considerable pmnuse
<br /> tat sin a ,xw.
<br /> k a + land. It has authority over transit,sewer scr- his accommodating growing population and
<br /> s a - vice. and general land-use planning, but not transportation needs.promoting morepedes-
<br /> ..»:� ; .:.xk:.4
<br /> mx the school districts or regional tax base slur- titan-fiiendh em nonments, and reducing
<br /> , mg--two crucial missing links. sprawl.
<br /> ,a Alore emphasis should be put ott pedes-
<br /> It \eel :i: liefornt the properiv lax raan walkways, hike paths. and trails that
<br /> By relyin on property property tax ineonie,local coin- connect the places peo le Ike with the places
<br /> muniries tend to cmphastac short-term eco- they work.shop,and Alas- I Malls-,mixed-use
<br /> nomrc gain over long-tern environmental zoniag,next tali rional tie igh ho rhoo_I igpiug,
<br /> 1^r
<br /> quality. I-oval l urudictions coupe u.tOt corn- and elksuse rnnint, of working Imdseapes
<br /> naereral and Industrial development and ex- could reduce the teed to travel great distances
<br /> pensive houses on large lets. which generate Iss encouraging.'variety of Ilse,cwse eet'Iner
<br /> "Sta more in property taxes than they demand in and by directing growth into cststMg .oar
<br /> public itervices. his competition produces nmumrie6
<br /> inefficient land use patterns,overdevelopment.
<br /> °'mss and hiss of open space.
<br /> Need 4: Better ens rrnnmental
<br /> Funding education from a progressive sea to- uuuliurrinr
<br /> wide income tax makes far more sense than Taking stock of the local or regional environ-
<br /> rg,,, the local property tax. A local income tax, ment is nor a one-time exercise. By keeping
<br /> sr ;;( e> ,aster nr such as a flat percentage of wage earnings, track of land-use changes development. and
<br /> could cover ocher government services, like air and water quality. decision makers e.i n
<br /> p trice and lire protection.Such tmeasureswuld nu,dds comprehensive plans and imple m•.n
<br /> significantlyreducethepressuresonlotlgov- ration programs.
<br /> their rapid rates of population growth.Where ernnxnts to approve inappropriate develop- (;eogrrphie information systems can store
<br /> will the water come front: Inert and would go a long was toward pro- and analyze dam on land uses and environmen
<br /> Some MOM regions are approaching phvci- rccting the environment. rl features. Buildingpermirs,subdivisionap
<br /> -
<br /> -al limits to growth. Yet the 1-4th Amend provals, zoning changes. and air and 11-erect
<br /> cut implicitly guarantees the right of Bee Need 4:toping oil!' infrastructure quality' can all he tracked on a (l's to show
<br /> travel Mr all Americans. People can choose to homeexpertssae the U.S. a Sb trillion behind what kind of development is happening and
<br /> live anywhere they want.iFrhea'can afford it. in needed itntrastructureeonstrucrioaandnn- where finally, axnnm.uuties can use action
<br /> Does the right to free travel give us the right provemens. I he G:P A has estimated that g iv- plans with measurable benchmarks.and report
<br /> r exceed carrying E. tryst The I Oth Amend- eminent,spent S I trillion on water and t arc- progress reward those benchmark;wary year,
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