Issue Position: Preserving Open Space

Issue Position

We've been very successful in Chester County, and in the Southeastern region of the Commonwealth with initiatives to save our open space and agricultural lands. At the state level we've been active in passing legislation which encourages preservation by buying agricultural easements and authorizing the purchase of future development rights, to provide farmers the cash to continue farming. Our Chester County Commissioners have been leaders in this Commonwealth with their commitment to open space and to the preservation of farms.

Without such efforts, farmers will be financially pressured to sell their farms, most likely to developers of housing, leading to additional children in our schools and additional cars on our roads. Open Space programs provide some relief from those pressure, and I'm glad to support them.

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