Public & Legislative Notice Before Public Land Purchase

[melody]

HCO3159 By Causer. Requires public notice of all proposed land acquisitions, including written notice to county & local officials where the land is located as well as to members of the General Assembly whose districts encompass the proposed land area.

* April 24, 2014 02:04 PM
* Rep. Martin Causer
* Game Commission Land Acquisition Transparency Act
* In the near future I plan to introduce legislation providing for
* greater transparency in land acquisitions by the PA Game Commission.
* The legislation would require public notice of all proposed land
* acquisitions, including written notice to county and local officials
* where the land is located as well as to members of the General Assembly
* whose districts encompass the proposed land area.
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* The public notice would include a fiscal impact statement relative to
* any effect the land acquisition would have on the local community.
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* This legislation will provide greater transparency to the public and
* local officials before the Game Commission Board of Commissioners
* approves any acquisition of land.


HB 2229 By Causer. Amends Title 34 (Game), in property & buildings, further providing for the acquisition of property.
- May 1, 2014 - Referred to House Game and Fisheries

[galthatfishes]

Wow. Just wow.

I THOUGHT he claimed hunting was good for local economies. Add a game land, you add hikers, leaf peepers, hunters- and that ALL bodes well for hotels, restaurants, bars, stores... and less road maintenance; PLUS a tax base, since game lands aren't enrolled in clean and green like many farms.

[Deleted]

What's the point? Private property transactions need be announced ahead of closure? Why?

[Dutch]

So DCNR does not have the same reporting requirements, just the PGC?

[Dutch]

Apr 24, 2014 21:38:16 GMT -5 @cl3 said:

What's the point? Private property transactions need be announced ahead of closure? Why?

The PGC pays payment in leiu of taxes to local government of $3.40 per acre, I believe. This rate may be higher or lower than a parcel is being taxed at locally, so it could effect the local municipalities.

That said, much of the larger parcels of private lands in Potter County, including farms, are being taxed at the Clean and Green tax rates, which also effects local municipalities.

Only thing is, Causer hates the PGC, so, this proposal for a bill is just a way of getting back at them.

[galthatfishes]

$3.60 an acre.

You want to talk about interferance with PERSONAL property rights? REALLY?

How about the landowner who is now exposed to public scrutiny for whom, and how much, they sell their land to.

What if its a donation?

What if its on a TIME LINE, like Spring Creek property was- the PGC had just (x) time to replace the land from Toft Trees, set by USFWS.

SO again, Causer seeks to overrule some Federal laws? Talk about being over-reaching.

[GlennD]

Pandering.. to low information voters..

:/

[bawanajim]

It seems vengeance plays a larger part in our legislative agenda each and every day, these are bills that the leadership should table without any discussion at all. Idiots!

[Deleted]

I can see no benefit to this... a "notice" does nothing. Unless it meant to open an opportunity for another buyer to swoop in? An opportunity to try and leverage a higher PILOT?

Now the really sad part... he's not trying to open opportunities for private buyers who would post the land in lieu of the PGC adding it to game land stock, would he? He's not working against hunters by ultimately limiting access, is he?