ARIZONA

Governor Jane Dee Hull, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

Warning lawmakers that the people want action on growth and that the state has "fallen behind the public's expectations," Governor Jane D. Hull (R) said she will press for legislation recommended by her Growing Smarter Commission. She wants "Growing Smarter to help limit sprawl in at least three ways: provide citizens a real voice in community planning by giving them a vote on general plans; require development to pay for itself; and allow cities and counties to restrict services to areas within their self-determined limits." Stressing that the state has 80,000 acres "in the preservation pipeline," and revealing her imminent executive order to preserve 9,000 acres of desert in North Phoenix, the governor called for a conservation trust, which would allow the State Land Commissioner "to set aside some of our spectacular landscapes as open space." The governor described the rival Sierra Club growth-management proposal, including mandatory growth boundaries, as a "bad public policy put into tasty sound bites," which would undercut local control with "arbitrary limits, while doing nothing to ensure open space." Noting that growth can't be isolated from its transportation and air quality context, the governor said that the state spent almost a billion dollars on roads in the past three years, but will face "a significant revenue shortfall" for its long-term transportation needs. She asked everyone to recognize "that transportation and growth are interlocking issues," whose scope is not parochial or regional, but statewide.

CALIFORNIA

Governor Gray Davis, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Focusing a major part of his speech on transportation, Governor Gray Davis (D) said California motorists wasted more than 800,000 hours each day in traffic jams, at a daily cost of almost $8 million last year. With state transportation needs in excess of $100 billion this decade and with nearly 75 percent of federal and state transportation funds going directly to localities, the governor wants governments and regional agencies "to identify and finance local projects," while the state will "connect regions and localities to speed up the movement of people and goods." This year, the governor will propose $7.5 billion for roads, transit and inter-city rail, including $3 billion in new funds, all under a new "use it or lose it" policy. If local governments don't commit their allocations to local projects by July 31, the state "will program $1.7 billion of those funds by the end of the year." Intrigued "by the idea of high-speed rail along the spine of California," the governor hopes it will become a reality one day, but meantime he will press for improving access in the Central Valley, speeding up the commute between the San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area and reducing congestion in Silicon Valley, the Inland Empire, San Diego and the Los Angeles basin.

COLORADO

Governor Bill F. Owens, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Bill Owens (R) believe the state can both benefit from a big influx of residents and maintain its quality of life in this decade through his "Smart Growth: Colorado's Future" initiative. The governor described the initiative as "a specialized package of incentives -- not mandates -- geared toward saving our natural landscapes, promoting strong neighborhoods, and building our transportation future while providing economic opportunities for the entire state." Thanking Senator Bryan Sullivant and his Interim Committee for their work on growth, the governor urged the legislature to pass several growth-management bills. He mentioned Representative John Witwer's bill on open space and habitat protection; a bill readied by Representative Matt Smith and local officials to ensure cooperation between incorporated and unincorporated areas; legislation sponsored by Senator Stan Matsunaka and Representative Jack Taylor to end "the worst excesses of flagpole annexations"; a bill shaped by Senate President Ray Powers to adjust the enterprise zone program and its tax incentives to the needs of areas "that truly deserve this assistance," and bill sought by Speaker Russ George to spur "revenue sharing among local governments."

DELAWARE

Governor Tom Carper, D
Term began January 1997

Summary

Reporting the recent agreement with counties on "where growth should occur and when it should happen," Governor Thomas R. Carper (D) said this first comprehensive investment strategy for Delaware will guide state spending for transportation, open space and farmland protection, water and wastewater systems, school construction and other projects. With counties revising their plans over the next few years, the state will define growth areas and target its resources better, to reduce the loss of open space and farmland to sprawl. Now, the governor said, "the time has come for greater legislative involvement in these smart-growth policies." Administrations will come and go, he continued, but if they are to fulfill their land-use responsibilities, "the General Assembly must be a full partner." The governor noted that "one area of smart growth where the legislature has already made its mark" during his administration is the investment of more than a quarter-billion dollars in open space and farmland preservation. He proposed to add another $10 million for that purpose. The governor said one of the top environmental challenges for the next administration and the next General Assembly will be the full implementation of the Clean Water Act. To help communities meet "the stringent requirements of this federal law" and ensure clean water supplies in the future, the governor's next annual budget will replenish the $50 million water and wastewater fund with an additional $10 million. The governor also promised to introduce legislation that would give the Public Service Commission new regulatory conservation authority "to guard against future drought emergencies."

FLORIDA

Governor Jeb Bush, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

In brief growth-related paragraphs in his State of the State address, Governor Jeb Bush (R) hailed lawmakers for the "long-term commitment to our quality of life by enacting the Florida Forever program ... the largest land buying program in the fifty states;" said that his $4 billion Mobility 2000 Initiative to speed up road construction promises huge practical pay-offs since Floridians "will spend less time sitting in traffic," will be able to evacuate faster during hurricane emergencies and will benefit from increased trade and tourism; and stressed that the most valuable state legacy for future generations is "a clean and bountiful natural world." The governor noted that his 2000 budget request for $100 million as the state share of the Everglades Restoration Project "will free up federal dollars and allow us to move quickly to clean up the Everglades, protecting the ecosystem and the source of drinking water for South Florida." He added that his proposed "historic 40 percent increase for statewide water project funding" will protect water throughout the state.

GEORGIA

Governor Roy Barnes, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Early in his speech, Governor Roy Barnes said: "We took an important first step toward dealing with Georgia's transportation, pollution, and land use problems by establishing the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority. This year I hope we will build on that beginning by preserving greenspace in our fastest growing counties." In the rest of his 9-page speech, the governor focused almost completely on education, especially on the need to demand excellence both from students and teachers.

Note: In a backgrounder to the governor's speech, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution said he will resume his push for improving air quality and for curbing urban sprawl at this year's General Assembly sessions. The daily predicted bills to make the largest and fastest-growing counties set aside 20 percent of undeveloped areas as open space, and to secure funds for a $1.5-billion passenger rail network in the next 12 years.

IDAHO

Governor Dirk Kempthorne, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) said that responsible stewardship of natural resources -- forests, rivers, mountains and deserts -- is central to preserving Idaho heritage. Last year, his administration has concluded a deal to acquire Box Canyon as a state park and began the expansion of the Ponderosa State Park and the state trail system. It has also secured the cooperation of major mining companies, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe and the Justice Department in negotiations to clean up the Coeur d'Alene Basin without federal intervention. The governor suggested a 25-year public works project for the basin cleanup. He projects a similar state-based approach to salmon recovery and roadless land issues. Pleased with federal recognition "that there isn't one single answer" to the complex question of salmon and other endangered species protection, the governor said his recently formed Salmon Cabinet is studying habitat, hatchery, harvest and hydropower data to help develop a multi-state solution viable "economically, politically and biologically." Determined to stop the federal government from dictating "by decree how Idaho's lands are managed," the governor said his Land Board has filed a bipartisan lawsuit "to seek more time and more information" about "the Clinton Administration's plan to halt development on roadless areas." Stressing the need to balance protection with economic growth, the governor expressed his readiness to grant department status to the Division of Environmental Quality. "Our environment, which is our life-support system," he said, " justifies department status as we enter a new century. This isn't bigger government. It's better government. And it's good public policy."

ILLINOIS

Governor George H. Ryan, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Noting that people everywhere crave "open space, natural areas, bike paths and other recreational facilities," governor George H. Ryan (R) said his budget responds to these essential quality of life needs. The budget includes the second $40 million installment for the Illinois Open Space Trust; $21 million for Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grants to park districts and forest preserves for playgrounds, bike trails and nature sites; and $13 million for cleaning up and preparing redevelopment of urban brownfields. The budget also includes funding "to help reduce urban sprawl through innovative transportation strategies and business redevelopment incentives," along with substantial funds for the Department of Natural Resources to educate students and others about the state's "rich natural heritage." Reminding the audience that under last year's Illinois FIRST program, the state will provide $12 billion over five years to rebuild its "crumbling infrastructure," including schools, roads, mass transit, and water and sewer systems, the governor said these dollars must be "wisely spent." He announced that the Department of Transportation will impose "extra safeguards to make certain that all construction criteria are met." The Governor said: "I want the schools, bridges and roads to be built, I want the environment to be protected, and I don't care who is selected to do the work as long as the work is done well." Admitting that "the quality of life is threatened by the hours and hours that many commuters must endure sitting in traffic congestion on the Tollway," the governor promised a change. He said he will consider new strategies and announce "a plan of action within the next several weeks."

INDIANA

Governor Frank O'Bannon

Summary

One of the key elements of Governor Frank O'Bannon's (D) plan for "Indiana's new economy" is to preserve the state's quality of life. The governor said state policies "must promote the things we cherish about Indiana, the natural beauty, small town warmth, strong communities, and peace of mind that make it unique." The governor warned that polluters who contaminate water or befoul air "will be held accountable under the law." Describing the severity of the recent fish kill in the White River as "the worst in a generation," the governor said this session he will propose "a doubling of the fines for criminal environmental violations."

IOWA

Governor Tom Vilsack, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Alarmed by a "severe threat to water quality from the 159 polluted waterways" that crisscross the state, Governor Tom Vilsack (D) urged full funding for his clean water initiative. A small investment of state dollars, said the governor, will "generate over $50 million from the federal government" to encourage farmers' participation in private land conservation programs. It will bring more prosperity to rural areas and make the state "a national leader in private land conservation." The governor appealed for recognition that land and water are "the essential building block of our future - the essential infrastructure of our state" and said that leadership in land management and environmental protection mandates a solution for "the hog lot issue." Noting that local officials control schools and decide on many human services, the governor asked rhetorically whether they are not equally qualified to help make decisions about their environment. He said: "Let's find a way to give local control to the siting and location of large livestock facilities."

KENTUCKY

Governor Paul E. Patton, D

Summary

Among the priorities listed by Governor Paul E. Patton (D) is the urgent need for special programs and incentives to help "inner cities, many times the homes of some of our most disadvantaged African-American citizens." Promising to present such a plan in near future, the governor had some harsh words for "our society's policy of the throw-away city." He stressed that abundant and relatively inexpensive open space near cities "is no reason to ignore the long-term cost of random growth." Dismayed by the neglect of "hundred-year-old-downtowns," the governor said: "Let's not live like a ringworm, destroying the center and leaving it to decay while expanding outward into our natural areas and having only the outward ring of prosperity surrounding an ever-increasing area of decline."

MAINE

Governor Angus S. King, I
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Angus King (I) said that despite great strides in the economy and environmental protection, the state's prosperity is still unevenly distributed and some special qualities "seem to be slipping away." Calling the environment an "ace in the hole" for long-term economic prospects, the governor noted ominous signs of "squandering this asset." He listed "congestion and commercial sprawl at the gateways to our spectacular natural resources; residential development leapfrogging to the headwaters of lakes, slowly turning them algae green, downtowns traded away for strip development at the next highway interchange, and farms, woodlots and wildlife traded for large-lot subdivisions." Stressing the need to reign in these costs of sprawl now "while there is still time" to save "something special and irreplaceable about Maine," the governor strongly supported a growth-management package, being shaped on "closely parallel tracks" by the Legislature's Task Force on Smart Growth, a citizens' Smart Growth Forum and his own cabinet subcommittee. The governor called this emerging package "Smart Growth: the Competitive Advantage." He said the Smart Growth initiatives will promote investments in downtown and service center communities and help restore traditional neighborhoods and preserve open space. They will also help agriculture by "reducing penalties on farmland under the Farm and Open Space Act, eliminating the sales tax on electricity use in agriculture and aquaculture, and strengthening our Right to Farm law." The governor promised to work hard with lawmakers to implement the Smart Growth package. He added that his Department of Environmental Protection will work with businesses and environmental groups "to encourage innovation and to rethink our natural resource protection strategy with the goal of simultaneously expanding business opportunities and improving the environment through an initiative we're calling Smart Production."

MARYLAND

Governor Parris N. Glendening, D
Term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Parris N. Glendening (D) announced that with its "pioneering Smart Growth initiative to fight sprawl," Maryland for the first time is preserving more productive farmland and forest-land than it is losing to development. Stressing that Maryland has stopped providing support "for unplanned or poorly planned development" and is "breathing new life" into its neighborhoods and downtowns, the governor praised legislators for "coming together" on growth issues and urged them to "step up the fight against sprawl and over-development" by rising "above minor disagreements" and passing his new "Smart Codes." The governor envisions statewide adoption of "Smart Codes," with priority funding eligibility for jurisdictions that accept the codes without amendment. Promising details and other proposals later in the session, the governor said: "I want, and I believe we all want Smart Growth that creates flourishing cities and towns where families and children thrive, downtowns that are alive with activity; preserved parks, farmlands, and forests for all to enjoy; and clean air and water for our children and our grandchildren." Together, he added, "we can make Maryland the leader in establishing this vision as the Śnew' American dream."

MASSACHUSETTS

Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Paul Cellucci (R) said one of the state's development and prosperity costs is the pressure on open space. That's why the state has "acquired open space at an unprecedented rate," protecting its "character and environmental richness . . . which is our true common wealth." The governor stressed that as the state "continues to move from the old to the new economy, reusing old industrial sites will be critical," with its Brownfields program "representing a tremendous opportunity" for areas looking for "ways to reach their full potential." The governor also said that to keep the economy strong the state must expand the affordable housing supply "across a broad range of incomes." He mentioned "parents making the transition from welfare to work," and police officers, firefighters, teachers and young people "who want to raise a family in the community where their families raised them." He said that his administration has helped to build or preserve almost 40,000 housing units for low and moderate-income families, and that public measures such as low-cost financing and the new state tax credit program enacted last year will continue to attract private investment into affordable housing. Calling "restrictive zoning that keeps newcomers out" one of the biggest affordability barriers, the governor promised an executive order "directing state agencies, whenever they award discretionary grants, to give priority to those communities that are making good faith progress creating new housing." The order will provide $9 million in planning grants to cities and towns that build more housing while preserving their character or saving open space.

MICHIGAN

Governor John Engler, R

Summary

Governor John Engler (R) called upon the legislature to pass "a new Brownfield Redevelopment Act as a part of a broader core cities strategy." The governor said this act will encourage developers "to invest in blighted areas" and reuse old buildings "not necessarily contaminated," while reducing development pressures "in rural areas without services." The governor stressed that the pressure to develop rural areas can be further reduced "through a constitutional amendment . . . to keep land in agricultural production and to conserve green space." Describing the state's rural legacy as vital to its future, the governor asked the legislature to approve a key recommendation of the Agriculture Preservation Task Force and "tax agricultural land on use value, not on market value."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Governor Jeanne Shaheen, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Jeanne Shaheen (D) said: "State government should serve as a role model for smart growth. That's why I asked the Council on Resources and Development to study how state government may be contributing to sprawl and what we should do to prevent it. Based on this report, I have directed state agencies to incorporate smart growth approaches into all decision-making." Naming natural resources, clean air and clean water "the very things" that drive New Hampshire economic growth, the governor stressed the state must preserve its special traits -- the traditional character of its communities, its forests and farms, and its historic buildings and downtowns." It must also work with business, local communities and individuals to protect historic sites and open space. The Land and Community Heritage Commission has proposed a public-private partnership to boost preservation efforts, said the governor. She called upon Democrats and Republicans to come together and start these efforts this year.

NEW JERSEY

Governor Christine T. Whitman, R
Present term began January 1998

Summary

Governor Christine T. Whitman (R) dedicated to speech to the four E's -- the economy, education, the elderly and the environment. She said: "By encouraging smart growth, protecting air quality, and securing a reliable supply of drinking water," the state can become "clean, green, and pristine." To help it happen, the governor ordered the Department of Environmental Protection to require comprehensive impact assessments for all major new or expanded wastewater systems. Under its new rules for all 20 watershed management areas, the department will "encourage development where sewers and roads exist or can be built without harming the environment." The governor requested an additional $3 million for watershed plans to make them all operational by this September. She also recommended establishing three sites to monitor air pollution this year and doing more "to encourage intelligent, responsible growth," especially in cities. Proud of the state's success in turning some brownfields "into veritable gold mines," the governor noted that others are still untouched because developers are discouraged by cleanup costs. Saying that along with saving farms, the state should "salvage the urban acres that could be fertile ground for new homes and businesses," the governor announced a $15-million grant program "to help municipalities clean up brownfield sites and return them to productive use."

NEW MEXICO

Governor Gary Johnson, R

Summary

Designating the year 2000 as the Year of State Parks, Governor Gary Johnson (R) said when it comes to the environment "we have to clean up the past, protect the future and sustain economic growth." He said his environmental philosophy is "quite simple: move aggressively to clean up contaminated sites, and work with businesses to prevent new pollution." The governor pledged to continue this work "without the relaxation of any environmental standards," through creative cooperation strategies. As examples, the governor mentioned the Environment Department's Green Zia Environmental Excellence Program, a recent "Water Summit One" and a newly streamlined water allocation and adjudication process.

NEW YORK

Governor George E. Pataki, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

Stressing that at the onset of the last century, "the Main Streets of New York were the heart of our communities," Governor George E. Pataki (R) pledged "smart investments and targeted economic policies" to recapture that spirit and make Main Streets bustle again. "Some call it Smart Growth. We call it smart. Period," said the governor. His Main Street program will move state offices from remote campuses to downtown locations, provide tax incentives for creating full-time jobs in designated downtown areas, add tax incentives for voluntary brownfields clean-up and redevelopment, and create new technology enterprise zones in central business districts. The governor also renewed his commitment to the environment and clean air. Proud of the 1000 projects funded by the Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act and of the protection of a quarter million acres of open space, the governor wants to equip all state non-emergency fleets only with clean-fuel vehicles and to link the region's trails, preserves and greenbelts into "an Empire State Greenway." Stretching from Montauk to New York City, from the Battery to Buffalo, from Niagra Falls to the North County, the Empire State Greenway, the governor said, "will serve as a foundation for environmental protection, historic preservation and compatible economic development in the 21st century."

NORTH CAROLINA

Governor Jim Hunt, D
Term began January 1996

Summary

With his bi-annual State of the State speech scheduled for 2001, Governor Jim Hunt (D) outlined his vision of Smart Growth at the first session of the North Carolina Smart Growth Study Commission. He said that smart growth means "preserving and protecting what we have been given ... and taking care of our state's resources in a responsible way as we grow." The governor said that during recent public hearings throughout the state, his 21st Century Communities Task Force has learned that people (1) hate traffic congestion, (2) want natural areas and farmland preserved (3) want downtowns strong and vibrant, (4) want livable communities with safe, affordable housing, and (5) want clean air and water. Promising "a blueprint" for putting the state on "the right track," the governor said the key element has to come from the business community. Business people understand, he said, that "smart growth is good for business." If quality of life is ruined, he continued, "the business community can't prosper." The governor recommended a three-prong effort -- to preserve natural areas, improve transportation and strengthen communities. With the goal of preserving a million acres of open space this decade, the governor expects his environmental secretary to present an action plan within 60 days. The governor plans to set aside 20 percent of natural areas at all development projects, protect rivers with green buffers that serve as natural filters, and buy out homes in floodplains to transfer newly created open space to local communities. He wants to involve local governments, business leaders, developers and conservationists in state efforts, "because all of us will benefit." Saying "we know we can't pave our way out of congestion," the governor suggested such solutions as additional HOV lanes, intelligent transportation systems, passenger rail upgrades and a future high-speed rail from the Triangle to Charlotte. The governor pointed out that work to strengthen communities has already started with brownfield, Main Street and inner city development zone programs. He gave his environmental and commerce secretaries 60 days to prepare a plan for stepped-up revitalization of urban centers and smaller Main Streets. The governor concluded: "Growth management is and must be a local issue. State governments shouldn't be creating one-size-fits-all rules and regulations. Our job is to create a toolbox. We should fill it with smart-growth tools that our towns and cities and counties can use to build 21st Century Communities."

OHIO

Governor Bob Taft, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Responding to mayors and other city leaders, Governor Bob Taft (R) said his first urban priority will be "to dramatically improve the state's role in brownfield redevelopment." The governor's plan will include a $200 million bond program for brownfield reuse, job and tax base creation, and protection of the public from environmental hazards; legislation to foster economic development in urban cores "through tax cuts, low and no interest loans, and grants;" preferential treatment for projects "that create or retain jobs in urban areas;" new funding to pave "state routes within cities;" a new Office of Urban Development "to speed up brownfield projects, cut through red tape, and help revitalize urban centers;" and encouragement of urban homeownership through state programs and community groups like Habitat for Humanity. The governor also promised to double funding for economic development in Appalachia, along with legislation "to establish the Environmental Preservation Fund," a $200 million bond program "to fund green space projects," protect farmland, safeguard watersheds, and create parks, trails and bike paths.

OREGON

Governor John Kitzhaber, D Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor John Kitzhaber (D) said that Oregonians always link the state's greatness with its land use planning programs, its protected farms, forestlands and open spaces, its public beaches and parks. He noted that this public attitude has given the state "more options, more choices in how we grow and develop than probably any other state in America." But he warned against "a kind of complacency" born from prosperity. He is not sure that all Oregonians share the "ethic of community responsibility, of civic actions and of environmental stewardship." The governor said that bringing all to see Oregon heritage, quality of life and booming economy as assets that must be "constantly renewed" is a major challenge. To describe this challenge -- "this commitment to do what is necessary to ensure that what is good about Oregon remains good" -- he used the word sustainability. In this context, the governor reconfirmed his plan for a March executive order "to make state government a leader in the fight to sustain our environment and quality of life in the face of a growing population." He also stressed that the formula for a sustainable Oregon must include much greater participation of voters, especially young voters, in the electoral process. They must realize, the governor said, that "every day the future they will live in is being decided initiative- by-initiative and legislative session-by-legislative session" by their elected representatives.

PENNSYLVANIA

Governor Tom Ridge, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

In his 2000-2001 budget presentation to a joint session of the Legislature, Governor Tom Ridge (R) said the state is growing greener, but it "must grow smarter as well." Noting that since 1970, Pennsylvania has lost more than 24,000 farms or "25 percent of its farm acreage to other uses," the governor thanked lawmakers for their bi-partisan support for his 1999 legislative priority -- the state's largest ever environmental investment, "the $650 million ŚGrowing Greener' initiative." The initiative allocates $100 million over five years to protect open space and farmland, and $550 million to "clean up abandoned mines and restore watersheds; provide new and improved water and sewer systems; and create recreational trails." The governor said with the $20 million available this year for land conservation, the state intends "to preserve 100 farms in 100 days, from the Farm Show to Earth Day." Turning to "growing smarter," the governor said: " ... we spent much of 1999 listening to Pennsylvanians on land use. In 53 hearings throughout the state, they told us that we should help local government control sprawl. So we will. But they didn't tell us that we should mandate a one-size-fits-all approach. So we won't." The governor promised to start with a $3.6 million state investment in land-use planning, "to give our local governments the tools they need to plan effectively for the future." Stressing the urgency of working together to revise and improve the Municipalities Planning Code, the governor also promised "a top-to-bottom review of state government, to make sure that the state always supports sound land-use planning."

RHODE ISLAND

Governor Lincoln C. Almond, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Declaring that Rhode Islanders want the state "to grow smart," Governor Lincoln C. Almond (R) announced his imminent Executive Order creating a Growth Council "to ensure that our economic development enhances our environment." This council, he said, "will work hand-in-hand" with municipalities, the private sector and environmental organizations to guide local communities on land use issues. To ensure that residents will always have what they value so much -- parks, beaches and open space -- the governor urged the enactment of the $50 million bond issue he has proposed for preservation of 35,000 acres this decade. The governor pointed out that the Nature Conservancy is already doing its part by rising $45 million to preserve New Hampshire open space. He asked the audience to applaud the group and its representative Doug Parker, and he placed great hopes in "our combined efforts" for the future. The governor also called for making clean water a priority. Thus, he proposed a bay bond to help the Narragansett Bay Commission fight sewer overflow's problems and fund the Department of Environmental Management's program to help municipalities and homeowners protect local water quality. "When you couple this bond with our open space referendum," said the Governor, "we're giving Rhode Islanders a tremendous opportunity to preserve the heritage of our state."

UTAH

Governor Michael O. Leavitt, R
Term began January 1997

Summary

Governor Mike Leavitt's (R) aspiration is to start the second millennium "with historic progress on public land disputes." He wants to define parameters for wilderness, protect it and move forward with "a sustainable economy and a sustainable environment." As a step in that direction, and as part of the West Desert Wilderness Act sponsored in Congress by Representative Jim Hansen, the governor announced a land sweep deal, under which the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration will get from the Bureau of Land Management 128,000 acres for economic use in exchange for 118,000 acres for protection. The governor pointed out that future quality of life depends on "wise growth planning." That, he said, "encompasses a new ethic of water conservation, open space preservation and the efforts of Envision Utah to foretell our future needs for housing, recreation and livable communities." Regarding this decade's transportation needs, the governor noted that such factors as environmental concerns, regulations and federal funding may change, but stated "unequivocally " that all roads projected by the three-year-old Centennial Highway Fund "will be built."

VERMONT

Governor Howard Dean, D
Term began January 1999 (two years)

Summary

Governor Howard Dean (D) told lawmakers that each of their acts should aim for preserving "the Vermont of 2100" as a state "where the lakes still shine, where family farms still form the backbone of our character" and "where our towns and cities are still distinct, with a strong sense of community." Recalling "the wise advice" of British Ambassador Bryce who during his 1910 visit urged Vermonters to "preserve the purity of your streams and your lakes ... and keep open the summits of your mountains," the governor pointed out that over the last 30 years the state has helped restore safe swimming in the borderline Connecticut River and conserved more than one million acres of land. Noting that 19 percent of Vermont land "is conserved with either easements or public ownership," the governor expressed his hope that the figure will grow to 30 percent by 2100.

VIRGINIA

James S. Gilmore III, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

Proud of almost doubling road construction funds to $2.1 billion last year, Governor James S. Gilmore III (R) pledged to create a "Commission on Transportation Policy to examine our current policies and recommend improvements." Noting that thanks to efforts by Secretary of Transportation Shirley Ybarra and U.S. Senator John Warner, Virginia will get 670 million federal dollars in each of the next six years, the governor said the commission will provide a blueprint for the state's future roads and rails. He also said his top environmental priority is improving the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and the state's streams, rivers and lakes, at a cost of $48 million in the current budget proposal. Stressing the need to protect waterways from harmful chemicals and landfill leaks, and expressing his deep concern over "the importation of out-of-state trash," the governor said he will ask the General Assembly to impose tough permit requirements on landfill construction or expansion, caps on landfill waste and stricter inspections of waste hauls.

Note: A few days after the governor's address, The Washington Post reported that lawmakers began debating his plan "to spend an additional $2.5 billion on transportation over six years," or a total of about $11.5 billion.

WASHINGTON STATE

Governor Gary Locke, D
Present term began January 1997

Summary

Envisioning a state "with pure air, clean water, healthy forests and flourishing farmlands," where all species are safe and rivers are full of salmon, Governor Gary Locke (D) pledged to preserve both the state's legacy and its strong economy for the future. The governor said the November passage of Initiative 695, which deprives the state of $750 million by replacing vehicle excise tax with a $30 flat fee, "will require sacrifices and tough decisions" and vowed to "meet this challenge." By working together, he said, "we can ensure that local governments hardest hit by Initiative 695 can continue to provide vital police, fire protection, public health, and transit services." But instead of diverting "state revenue for short-term transportation solutions," which would "hardly put a dent" in the massive traffic problems, the governor promised that his Blue Ribbon Commission on Transportation "will find a way to fund over 20 billion dollars worth of transportation projects necessary in the decades ahead." The governor expects the commission's recommendations within a year.

WISCONSIN

Governor Tommy G. Thompson, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

Governor Tommy G. Thompson (R) wants to increase the state's competitiveness by creating a seamless transportation system. He said future business travel will improve "as high-speed rail ties together air, road and mass transit options -- allowing us to choose the fastest and most efficient means." To spur this change, the governor called for "a $50 million state investment in the Midwest Rail Initiative, linking Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago with Amtrak's fastest trains." As chairman of Amtrak, he promised to seek $100 million in federal matching funds. Visualizing the Dane County Regional Airport as a future model for the nation's transportation hubs, the governor said: "Let's get high-speed rail running in Wisconsin by the year 2003." The governor also stressed the need to match the new economy with better recreational opportunities. To mark the hundredth anniversary of the Wisconsin State Park System, the governor announced a major, three- phase renovation and expansion of the State Fair Park and forthcoming construction of a new Centennial Park.