Editor,
Cade Barker is incorrect to say Friends of Clark County is defending the Growth Management Act. Since 1994, they have brought matters into court continuously, thereby wasting thousands of taxpayers dollars for frivolous lawsuits. This, in an attempt to meet their environmental agenda, and not the GMA. They are dependent on decisions made by an unelected Growth Management Hearing Board. To put it simply, they are not on the taxpaying citizen’s side. Clark County Citizens United, Inc. (CCCU), formed in 1994, won in the courts against Friends of Clark County members, five times. The last decision in the 1997 Court of Appeals Division II, upheld a Superior Court order that the hearing board was wrong.
CCCU is a non-profit that defends property rights protected in the Growth Management Act, along with the other 15 equal goals. Goal 3 assures use of rail, boat and cars. Goal 4 assures a variety of affordable housing. Goal 5 assures economic development and jobs. Goal 6 assures the protection of property rights. Goal 7 assures timely and fair processing of permits. Goal 8 protects natural resources industries, such as the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Goal 11 protects the involvement of all county citizens. Goal 12 assures the support of development. Unfortunately, Friends of Clark County does not support any of these GMA mandated goals, which includes the Dabbler timber sale.
The citizens cannot afford to tie the hands of the Department of Natural Resources, as they manage state timber lands for the benefit of schools and state services. These lands, particularly the Dabbler plantation, are on prime timber soil that has a high production rate. Trees will be replanted to assure another crop and constant income to the state and county agencies. These trees were planted there for that purpose, and to call them “legacy” trees is a misnomer. They are a crop intended for harvest, to the benefit of all of us. It is wrong to allow an environmental group such as FOCC to attempt to control the DNR and its dedicated mission to provide finances to our schools and state services. The loss of revenue would be too great.
Carol Levanen
Clark County Citizens United, Inc.
Battle Ground
