Community Green Fund Proposal Revived by Environment Committee

– By David Bingham, MD, CTLCV Co-Chair

The Community Green Fund (see April 8, 2011 posting) has re-emerged with a new bill number, SB 866, after a supportive vote by the Environment Committee on April 8. 

Although kind words about the proposal were noted on both sides of the aisle during debate, the bill passed 13-10 without any Republican votes, in a vote dictated by party lines.  The bill now goes to the Finance Committee which must approve all bills concerned with municipal revenues before a floor vote can be considered.

Passage of SB 866 will enable local communities, if they so choose, to impose a conveyance fee of up to 1% on buyers of real estate in that community.  The income would be placed in a fund (a Community Conservation Fund" dedicated to local projects for conservation of land, air, water and energy.  Such projects, especially brownfield mitigation and storm sewer upgrades, will provide hundreds of green jobs while helping attain healthy and sustainable local economies.

Local income for conservation can also leverage grants that multiply the investment in the community, so that the buyers that pay into the fund acquire real estate that grows in value as the community becomes more healthy and sustainable..

Note there is no mandate on municipalities in this bill, and there is no effect on the state budget.  SB 866 simply makes available a tool for conservation funding that communities may wish to use in lieu of raising property taxes to pay for these urgently needed projects.  Also note that the first $150,000 of value of real estate purchases is exempt from the tax, to diminish the effect, if any, on buyers of low-cost housing.

Opponents of the bill have provided no alternative for paying for local conservation other than raising property taxes or increasing state grants, at a time when neither of these options are viable for most communities. 

Without SB 866, most conservation efforts will continue to be delayed or cancelled at a time when the public has shown overwhelming support for clean air and water, and for land and energy conservation. Supporters of SB 866 are asking their legislators to become co-sponsors of the Community Conservation Fund proposal, and are asking the Finance Committee leadership to raise the issue for a vote that can significantly improve the future health and and sustainability of municipalities throughout the state, while boosting green jobs in a down economy.

Is Environment Committee Poised to Miss Opportunity to Enable Community Green Fund?

Your Calls in support of the Community Green Fund bill are needed now.

SB834, the Community Green Fund bill, is in danger. The Environment Committee raised the bill for a hearing on January 31, but has taken no action on the bill to date. 

If the bill is not voted favorably out of committee, it does not proceed this session, and the opportunity to fund air, water and land protection projects in your town will be lost for yet another year. 

About the Bill
SB 834 enables, but does not require, towns to enact a conveyance fee on buyers of real estate. The fees would be placed in a dedicated fund for land conservation and green projects -- creating green jobs as well as seed money for leveraging matching grants on major projects. (Read more on the Community Green Fund concept at CTLCV’s wiki.)

What Can You Do? 
If you want your town to have the option to create funding for green projects where you live, please call or e-mail your representative and the environment committee's leadership today, March 21, and ask them to bring the community green fund bill for a vote to enable the option of creating green jobs at the local level. 

Cities and towns have very limited options for raising revenue, and this one can’t wait another year.

Contact Environment Committee Members Today

Title	First Name	Last Name	District #	Phone	Email Address
Rep.	Terry	Backer	121	860-240-8585	terry.backer@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Fred	Camillo	151	860-240-8700	fred.camillo@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	Clark	Chapin	67	860-240-8700	clark.chapin@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	Paul	Davis	117	860-240-8585	paul.davis@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Leonard	Greene	105	860-240-8700	len.greene@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	John "Jack"	Hennessy	127	860-240-8585	jack.hennessy@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Bryan	Hurlburt	53	860-240-8585	bryan.hurlburt@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Tony	Hwang	134	860-240-8787	tony.hwang@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	Geoff	Luxenberg	12	860-240-8585	geoff.luxenberg@cga.ct.gov
Sen.	Andrew	Maynard	18	860-240-0591	maynard@senatedems.ct.gov
Rep.	Robert	Megna	97	860-240-8585	robert.megna@cga.ct.gov
Sen.	Edward	Meyer	12	860-240-0455	meyer@senatedems.ct.gov
Rep.	Lawrence	Miller	122	860-240-8700	lawrence.miller@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	Phil	Miller	36	860-240-8585	philip.miller@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Craig	Miner	66	860-240-8700	craig.miner@housegop.ct.gov
Rep.	Edward	Moukawsher	40	860-240-8585	edward.moukawsher@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Mary	Mushinsky	85	860-240-8585	mary.mushinsky@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	John	Piscopo	76	860-240-8700	john.piscopo@housegop.ct.gov
Sen.	Andrew	Roraback	30	860-240-8800	andrew.roraback@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Kim	Rose	118	860-240-8585	kim.rose@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Richard	Roy	119	860-240-8585	richard.roy@cga.ct.gov
Rep.	Kevin	Ryan	139	860-240-8585	kevin.ryan@cga.ct.gov

Talk It Up! Make Your Support for the Community Green Fund Bill Heard

– contact David Bingham for more details

Could your town use some work on its:

• Energy conservation and efficiency?
• Storm sewers?
• Brownfield remediation and redevelopment?
• Air and water quality?
• Alternative Energy production?
• Historic preservation?
• Open space preservation?

If so, you should be interested in SB 834, An Act Concerning Municipal Open Space Priorities and Funding for the Purchase of Such Properties.  That’s a bill that would give cities and towns the authority, if they so choose, to enact a conveyance fee of 1% on real estate buyers.  The collected fees would be placed in the town’s dedicated fund for conservation purposes, such as OPEN SPACE AND FARMLAND PURCHASE.  The fees could also be used to fund projects FOR CONSERVATION OF AIR, WATER, ENERGY AND CULTURAL RESOURCES.

Funding for such local initiatives tends to get delayed indefinitely while the environment suffers. Funding such projects is essential for sustainable communities.  And it means green jobs.

Some well-financed interest groups, such as realtors and builders, that are expected to call their legislators and fight this bill, even though the evidence in other states is that "green communities" help sustain land and development values. 

To counteract opposition, it will be critical for constituents to let their legislators know about conservation projects in their districts that could use seed money from a Community Conservation Fund if enabled by SB 834.

SB 834 was raised for a hearing on 1/31/11 by the Environment Committee.  Now the committee needs to vote to move the bill forward.  The wording of the bill currently vague, but is expected to be tightened up before a vote in the Environment Committee.

Those interested in helping get local funding for such projects should let their legislative representatives and senator know with a brief email or call that they wish this bill to be passed. Members of the Environment Committee are listed below.  Their individual contact information is available here.

• Sen Meyer, Edward S-12
• Sen Maynard, Andrew S-18
• Sen Roraback, Andrew S-30
• Rep Roy, Richard 119
• Rep Davis, Paul 117
• Rep Chapin, Clark 067
• Rep Backer, Terry 121
• Rep Camillo, Fred 151
• Rep Greene, Leonard 105
• Rep Hennessey, John 127
• Rep Hurlburt, Bryan 053
• Rep Hwang, Tony 134
• Rep Luxenberg, Geoff 012
• Rep Megna, Robert 097
• Rep Miller, Lawrence 122
• Rep Miner, Craig 066
• Rep Moukawsher, Edward 040
• Rep Mushinski, Mary 085
• Rep Piscopo, John 076
• Rep Rose, Kim 118
• Rep Ryan, Kevin 139
• Rep Shaban, John 135
• Rep Urban, Diana 143
• Rep Willis, Roberta 064
• Rep Wood, Terri 141
• Rep Wright, Christopher 077
• Wright, Elissa 041

You may also submit comments to the Environment Committee care of jason.bowsza@cga.ct.gov.

For more information on the Community Green Fund bill, please contact CTLCV Co-Chair David Bingham at dbbingham@sbcglobal.net.

Green Fund Bill Goes to Planning and Development Committee

– By David Bingham, CTLCV Co-Chair (dbbingham@sbcglobal.net)

Senator Meyer has filed Proposed SB 46 which embodies the essence of previous “green fund” bills. The bill now goes to the Planning and Development Committee for consideration.

Details on the Local Option Community Conservation Fund Proposal

The Problem: Conservation suffers when funded only by local property taxes. Cities and towns need alternative revenue to leverage funding for smart growth, clean air and water projects, and energy conservation.

The Solution: The Local Option Community Conservation Fund is enabling legislation that allows municipalities to levy up to a 1.5% conveyance fee on purchasers of real estate to provide dedicated funding for conservation projects specified in the legislation (see below).

This year, "green jobs" will be a legislative priority for many legislators, and this proposal is among those with the greatest potential for funding green jobs and smart growth throughout the state, for local conservation initiatives with regional benefits such as:

• Brownfield planning and reclamation
• Storm sewer infrastructure
• Energy efficiency (weatherization of municipal buildings, "green building" retrofits, etc)
• Alternative energy infrastructure (solar, geothermal, etc.)
• Alternative transportation infrastructure (trails, bikeways, bus terminals, rail, etc.)
• Diesel retrofits/natural gas conversion
• Historic restoration
• Open space and farmland preservation
• To minimize the effect on buyers of affordable housing, the fee would be waived on the first $150,000 of real estate value. Note that buyers currently are purchasing real estate at a 20-30% discount from historic highs.

Desired Outcome: $100-$300 million of new funding yearly for smart growth projects throughout the State (depending on the number of communities that adopt this funding tool), leveraging additional matching grants from private and public sources (local, state and federal).

Fiscal Impact to the State Budget: This proposal requires no fiscal note.

Supporters: Support comes from municipalities, planning agencies and the environmental community. Opposition has come from builders and realtors in Connecticut, but not in other states where this tool for local conservation funding has been very popular. Real estate values in sustainable communities in New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, for example, have increased.

What You Can Do: There are two things you can do to support this bill.

1. Please ask your legislators to cosponsor the bill. Conservation of water, air, land, and energy begins at home. This bill can make it happen on the local municipal scale!

2. If your group would like to support this bill, please contact David Bingham, Co-Chair
CT League of Conservation Voters, directly at dbbingham@sbcglobal.net.