ECOSLO and the SLO County Farm Bureau have issued a joint statement calling on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to protect the funding for California’s Williamson Act, which helps protect agricultural land.
Although the state budget passed Aug. 21 includes funds for the Williamson Act, the two groups are worried that the governor may line-item veto the funding.
The act provides property tax relief to farmers and ranchers who contract to keep their land in productive agriculture. More than 750,000 acres are protected in SLO County under the Williamson Act.
“It’s true there are issues where ECOSLO and the Farm Bureau don’t agree, but we’re both supporters of agriculture and helping farmers keep their land in productive agriculture,” said Morgan Rafferty, executive director of ECOSLO.
The two groups are urging local residents to e-mail the governor to support the Williamson Act.
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This article appears in Aug 22-29, 2007.
