[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27853]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                           ELECTION DAY 1999

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, today the issue for the 2000 election is 
being previewed from coast to coast, that experts term a sleeper issue, 
hidden just below the surface. That issue, Mr. Speaker, is a welcome 
change from the nasty and sometimes incomprehensible partisan politics 
that have characterized contemporary campaigns. The issue instead is 
one that is positive, inclusive, that brings people together rather 
than driving them apart for partisan advantage. That issue, of course, 
is related to livable communities.
  How do we make our families safe, healthy and economically secure? 
Here in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, we in Congress have 
been witness just across the river in Northern Virginia to a variety of 
spirited campaigns. The hot button issues of these campaigns have been 
transportation, congestion, air pollution, unplanned growth and gun 
violence.
  At the other end of the country, there are a variety of initiatives 
that are local responses to the State of California's refusal to have 
planned State-wide growth management in place. Citizens want more 
control and predictability.
  In the State of Colorado, voters are increasingly concerned about the 
quality of life issues facing metropolitan Denver. This is 
understandable when we realize that just a couple of years ago, 
Colorado citizens discovered that the plans for their urbanized 
metropolitan Denver would sprawl more than a thousand square miles. 
That is bigger than Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, San Francisco, 
San Jose and Long Beach combined.
  Today with even a modestly pared down growth management approach and 
voluntary compliance, Denver is facing a significant referendum for 
both highway construction and, paired with a light rail referendum, 
both are expected to pass.
  In the State of New Jersey, the State-wide Transportation and Local 
Bridge Bond Act of 1999 will be public question number 1 on Tuesday's 
ballot. This is coming hard on the heels of Governor Christine Todd 
Whitman's pronouncement that the theme of her second term as governor 
would be livable New Jersey. The already-approved open space bond in 
New Jersey has received strong support from transit and environmental 
groups. The New Jersey transportation Commissioner James Weinstein has 
pledged repeatedly that the dollars from this bond measure will be 
directed towards fixing existing infrastructure and not used to add new 
sprawl and traffic-inducing projects.
  Greg Meyer of the tri-State transportation campaign was quoted as 
saying, ``If you build it, they will come. If you fix it, they will 
remain. Preserving the transportation we have already got is the means 
to focus growth in already-developed areas without encouraging sprawl 
in the fringe. The bond plan follows this principle.''
  Mr. Speaker, time does not permit me to deal with even the highlights 
of initiatives in Arizona, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, 
Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas or Washington State.
  I do want to note that the State of Wisconsin just enacted the 
``growing smart'' law, which is that State's first comprehensive growth 
management act. As one who came to Congress dedicated to having the 
Federal Government promote closer relations promoting livability, being 
a better partner, I am excited by what we are seeing from coast to 
coast. It is time for us in Congress to do our part, whether it is 
making the post office obey local land use laws and zoning codes, 
having the Federal Government lead by example with GSA or fully funding 
the Land and Water Conservation Act or reforming the national flood 
insurance program so that we no longer are subsidizing people who are 
living where God does not want them.
  I am looking forward to seeing the results of today's election and I 
am excited for the election to come, because I think livability issues 
will continue to be the issues that Americans care about, and once 
again the citizens will be leading the political leaders.

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