Kessler to sponsor property notification bill

State Rep. Lynn Kessler, D- 24th District (Jefferson, Clallam and part of Grays Harbor Counties) is sponsoring a bill that would require local governments to notify property owners about efforts to acquire their land.

When she learned that private property owners could lose their land without even being notified, state Representative Lynn Kessler (D-Hoquiam) was stunned.

“In America?” said Kessler. “That seemed unbelievable to me.”

But sure enough, state and federal court rulings had decided a government agency was not required to actually notify property owners of its pending decision to condemn their land – they could simply post a meeting agenda on a web site.

“Who is going to monitor web sites on a regular basis just to see if their property is going to be condemned?” Kessler asked.

As a result, she is sponsoring legislation that will require a local government to send a certified letter to those property owners, notifying them that their land is being considered for acquisition. A short legal notice published in the local newspaper is also required.

“This is a simple matter of fairness,” Kessler said.

Governor Gregoire and Attorney General McKenna have included this legislation in their requests to the 2007 Legislature.

It's a common sense idea that's had to argue with. The rest of the news release mentions that Kessler is one of the sponsors behind a bill that would create a committee to look into exemptions to the Public Disclosure Act.

“The right of people to know what their government is doing is vital in a democracy,” Kessler said. “The Public Disclosure Act was passed by the people in 1972, and at that time there were only ten exemptions – now there are at least 300. That’s ridiculous.”

Indeed. Making sure government is, whenever feasible, required to disclose its activities are very worthy objectives. Democrats are often portrayed by the right wing as some kind of slavish defenders of bureaucracy and government, but the truth is that we want effective government. That means transparency, openness, and fairness. Which is what Kessler's bill is about.