GREEN DELAWARE ALERTS

Port Penn, DE August 22, 2000.  The Delaware Senate is holding a special session today at four in the afternoon.  The basic reason is to pass a money bill, but various other interests are hoping to get legislation passed.  Two items are of interest to Green Delaware:

House Concurrent Resolution 55

Sets up a task force to work for the preservation of the Port Penn area.  HCR55 passed the House in June (thanks to Rep. Dick Cathcart) but did not come up for a vote in the Senate.  Sen. Jim Vaughn is the Senate sponsor.  This resolution was developed by the Port Penn Area Preservation Coalition, one of the few community-initiated efforts to do something about the sprawl development that is devouring Delaware.

House Bill 548

Delaware has lagged in providing incentives for preservation of historic properties.  This, along with out-of-control development, has meant that Delaware is losing it’s historic resources as well as it’s natural resources.  One historic building after another has been bulldozed.  HB548 
provides greatly needed tax incentives for owners of historic properties–both commercial structures and homes.  HB548 will encourage reinvestment in distressed downtowns and will act as an antidote to suburban sprawl.

The text of both bills can be found at: 
http://Aosta.state.de.us/Lis/LIS140.nsf/$$WebHome?openform

Before you do anything else today, pick up the phone and call or fax your Senator.  Urge them to place HCR 55 and HB548 on today's agenda unamended and to vote them favorably.