Proposal 4 | Settling Disputed Title in the Forest Preserve

[hrmjustin]

The proposed amendment to section 1 of article 14 of the Constitution would authorize the Legislature to settle longstanding disputes between the State and private entities over ownership of certain parcels of land in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County. In exchange for giving up its claim to disputed parcels, the State would get land to be incorporated into the forest preserve that would benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels currently do. Shall the proposed amendment be approved?

All of the state-owned land within the Adirondacks must be kept "forever wild" under the State Constitution. For more than a century, the titles to parcels of land in the town of Long Lake, Hamilton County have been in dispute, with both the state and private individuals claiming ownership. The state cannot transfer any of these parcels to a private owner without an amendment to the State Constitution. This proposed amendment would allow the state to give up its claim to disputed parcels in exchange for forest land of greater value, which would be added to Adirondack Park. The potential land exchange would occur only if the Legislature determines that the land to be conveyed to the state would benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels do.

http://www.nyccfb.info/public/voter-guide/general_2013/ballot_proposals.aspx#Proposal4

[hrmjustin]

1. Reasons to Vote YES

Reasons to Vote YES
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This proposal would allow residents living on these disputed parcels to remain while adding more beneficial forest land to the Land Preserve for the public to enjoy.
»
Resolving this decades-long land dispute through the courts would be expensive; the state can potentially save these costs if this proposal passes.

http://www.nyccfb.info/public/voter-guide/general_2013/ballot_proposals.aspx#Proposal4

[hrmjustin]

2. Reasons to Vote NO

Reasons to Vote NO
»
The state should not give public land to private owners.
»
According to the Constitution, this land is supposed to be kept "forever wild." If the state gives up its fight for this land, the entire forest preserve is in jeopardy.
»
The Legislature cannot be trusted to obtain land in exchange that will benefit the forest preserve more than the disputed parcels do.


http://www.nyccfb.info/public/voter-guide/general_2013/ballot_proposals.aspx#Proposal4

[hrmjustin]

3. Voting no.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. I also voted no, have heard this described as "a land grab"

[hrmjustin]

5. Looks like it passed.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Neither of these benefit the Adirondacks, voted no on both.

You don't know how badly I wanted to stop and explain that to the voters who were reading the propositions in the doorway of my polling place.