Bramm Yards Master Plan

[ijmorlan]

But I also know our government is allergic to owning property, and it's one of these things where conservatives would have no qualms about selling it off and using the one time windfall to fund some kind of awful bad projects that conservatives love...you know, oil pipeline through town, highway into downtown...something awful.

I think it can help somewhat to have the land owned by a government-owned corporation. So the government can’t simply sell it; they would have to change the operation or management of the corporation. Not perfect of course but it puts an organization whose purpose, when established, is to maintain and operate the land in accordance with the stated purpose. Changing that gives an opportunity for opposition to coalesce, including at least potentially from within the organization itself.

For example, the outrage that would ensue if they tried to sell off the Laurel Creek Conservation Area would be huge and there would be multiple legal steps required to accomplish it if I understand correctly. Much harder than just advising some friends which Greenbelt properties to buy a few months ahead of time.

But yes, Conservative governments are terrible businesspeople. I’m looking at you, 407!