Rep Stripp: Don’t Cut Funding For

Kelda Lands Preservation

A proposal to cut $28 million in spending from the state surplus earmarked to help purchase more than 15,000 acres of watershed lands owned by the Kelda Group could imperil the effort to acquire the properties and preserve them as an open space, State Representative John E. Stripp, R-135th District, warned this week.

Speaker of the House Moira K. Lyons, D-146th District, this week recommended that some spending from the 2001 budget surplus, including the $28 million for the Kelda land purchase, be cut to help head off a state budget deficit now expected to go as high as $300 million.

“While I share the speaker’s commitment to head off the projected budget deficit by reducing state spending, I must respectfully disagree with her proposal to cut the $28 million appropriation from the surplus to be used to help pay for the acquisition of the Kelda lands,” Rep Stripp said.

“Most of the Kelda lands to be acquired by the state are located in Fairfield County, which is growing faster than anywhere else in Connecticut,” Rep Stripp said. “As a result, there is intense pressure by developers to purchase and build on properties that remain undeveloped here. In an effort to preserve what is left of our rural heritage, a broad coalition of citizens, conservation groups, and local and state elected officials began working together two years ago to acquire and preserve the Kelda lands as open space for the enjoyment of future generations.

“Our efforts resulted in the agreement with the Kelda Group to have the state purchase the properties using $28 million from the surplus and $53 million from state bond funds,” Rep Stripp said. “If we lose the $28 million, it will mean the purchase cannot go through as planned. The agreement would be abrogated, the deal could fall through and we would lose a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to preserve a unique treasure for our grandchildren’s grandchildren.

“Given the fact that the budget we approved for the 2001-2002 Fiscal Year totals $12.9 billion, it should not be difficult to come up with $300 million in spending reductions to avoid a deficit,” Rep Stripp said. “Most of the savings could be made simply by postponing the implementation of new programs until our state’s economy improves. If the $28 million from the surplus is cut, we could very well lose the only opportunity we will ever have to acquire the Kelda lands and pass them on as a legacy to our descendants. If we fail to do the right thing when we have the resources in pale to preserve these properties, it will be on our consciences for the rest of our lives.”