ARIZONA

Governor Jane Dee Hull, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) After six years of fast economic expansion, and with excellent prospects ahead, the state must start laying the foundation for more stable growth and prosperity for all residents. An additional $685 million from the new federal TEA-21 bill, together with state funds, will help expedite transportation projects in both urban and rural areas. These projects will improve air quality, shorten commute time and enhance the economy statewide. The Growing Smarter Commission and its Citizen Advisory Group will seek public input into plans to enhance the character of neighborhoods, sustain rural culture and preserve the natural heritage. The budget puts aside an initial $2.5 million to buy and save for public use Spur Cross Ranch, a 2,200-acre tract with the area's only year-round stream and numerous Native American archeological sites. Funds are also needed for a statewide study on rural watersheds.

Quotes

"Last year ... Arizonans believed growth was out of control."

"Our Growing Smarter Act encourages communities to begin managing their own growth from the local level up, not from the top down."

"The success of the Growing Smarter plan at the ballot box last fall confirms what I have long believed: Arizonans care deeply about preserving their magnificent scenic heritage."

(Note: A January 27 editorial in The Arizona Republic says that the Growing Smarter Act, which orders municipalities with populations of 2,500 and above to draw up comprehensive long-range development plans, is already in danger. Two weeks into a new legislative session, the Senate Government and Environmental Stewardship Committee unanimously passed Democratic Senator Gus Arzberger's bill, which would restrict the act to the most populous Pima and Maricopa counties. The editorial calls Arzberger's bill "a bad idea that cuts the legs out from under smart growth politics.")

CALIFORNIA

Governor Gray Davis, D
Present term began January 1999

Quotes

(Inaugural) "Today we begin a new chapter in the history of California. The Era of Higher Expectations."

"My administration will work to preserve our God-given natural heritage and resources. We will seek to protect open space and farmlands, safeguard fragile ecosystems and extend the moratorium on oil drilling to undeveloped tracts off California magnificent coastline."

Summary

(State of the state) The state enjoys a healthy economy, but faces increased budget pressures. Its unfunded needs for education, transportation and other public service improvements amount to at least $40 billion. A new Commission on Building for the 21st Century will bring together business, labor, local government, transportation and environmental leaders, to report on the state's capital needs by May 1. Among the budget's conservation items will be more than $20 million for Lake Tahoe and its basin enhancement, and $10 million in grants for coastal access and wetlands restoration. A new State Housing Task Force will assess sources of affordable-housing funds, growth management incentives, tax distribution and the possibility of state control over redevelopment funds.

Quotes

"As we build for the future we must also protect our natural resources, our open spaces and our precious coastline."

"I will press Congress and the White House to extend the moratorium on offshore drilling to all undeveloped tracts off the California coastline."

"After education and public safety, the most vocal complaint from our citizens is traffic. It's just a symptom, really, of inadequate planning and overburdened systems."

"Consensus will also be critical to finding a solution to one of the most difficult problems facing local governments: the conflict between the need to build more affordable housing and land use policies that seek to maximize local revenues by discouraging housing in favor of commercial and industrial development."

COLORADO

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

Summary

To become a better state in the 21st century, Colorado must expand opportunities for all residents and strengthen public education by returning it to local control and by raising academic standards. The state must improve transportation with "design-build" highway projects, light rail lines, new technologies and better fiscal management. It must also save farmland and open space.

Quotes

"Along with increased road congestion, many Coloradans are concerned that our recent growth may threaten open space. I share your concerns. That is why I support conservation easements. They allow ranchers and farmers to keep working their land rather than seeing those lands be developed. When negotiated voluntarily, conservation easements protect private property rights and are less expensive than the government taking over the land itself."

"Conservation easements are an important tool to save open space, but they are not the whole answer. As we move forward into the new century, we have an obligation to enhance and protect Colorado's beautiful natural environment. If we work together rather than become polarized, if we recognize that markets work better than mandates, and if we reward results, not programs, we will do much to save Colorado's open space and protect our environment."

CONNECTICUT

Governor John G. Rowland, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) In a continuing spirit of bi-partisanship, the state will further streamline its rules, expand economic growth and create opportunities for more residents. Trimming wasteful spending has allowed tax cuts and record investments in child health care, basic and higher education, public safety and environmental protection.

Quotes

"We have developed multi-year plans to revitalize our state parks, preserve open space, and clean up Long Island Sound"

"We have entered into partnerships in cities across the state, to rebuild and infuse new life into the urban areas that were the backbone of Connecticut's economy."

"Revitalization is more than just a football stadium. It's about creating economic opportunity, empowering neighborhoods, creating partnerships wit the private sector, and having a vision to attract young people back to our urban communities."

DELAWARE

Governor Tom Carper, D
Term began January 1997

Summary

(State of the state) Long financial bi-partisanship, a string of balanced budgets and a strong economy resulted last year in record road repair and construction, better traffic management and public transit extensions throughout central and southern Delaware. The use of transit grew more than 20 percent. The state continues to lead the nation in farmland protection, with another 16,000 acres forever saved from development in the past six years. An abandoned industrial wasteland along the Christina River is being turned into a recreational area for a million visitors annually. Industrial emissions of toxins into air and water have been cut by about 80 percent. New regulations will finally ensure full implementation of the Coastal Zone Act, passed more than 25 years ago. But challenges remain. Since 1960, crop cultivation has dropped by one-third, while poultry production has almost tripled, with litter runoff contaminating streams and groundwater. The state must balance economic expansion with environmental protection and preserve agriculture without destroying water quality.

Quotes

"Where we build our roads has a large impact on where people live. We've been working with the Gordon administration to limit unnecessary sprawl, especially in southern New Castle County. Smart land use policies are an important part of our stewardship of the environment and the preservation of our natural resources."

FLORIDA

Governor Jeb Bush, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) Florida's economy , the sixteenth largest in the world, is not free from problems. Searching for solutions, the state should tap the human capital of its diverse communities and trust them to formulate ideas for the future.

Quotes

"We can bring opportunity and growth to our urban cores, and in the process, sustain our natural environment."

GEORGIA

Governor Roy Barnes, D
Present term began January 1999

Quotes

(Inaugural) "In our New Georgia, for the first time, corporate leaders and consumer advocates labor together to plan our growth, and protect our environment. The advances of technology and the needs of transportation feed one another."

"Together, we lift up the weak and reform health care, cut taxes and improve services, and promote growth by improving transportation and curbing pollution."

Summary
(State of the state) Since the mid-1970s, Georgia has become the third fastest-growing state in the nation. It has a thriving economy, diminishing welfare rolls and rebounding education. But many residents are frustrated because this prosperity has missed some urban neighborhoods and because metro area officials neglected serious transportation and pollution problems. Remedies must be agreed upon fast, or the state may lose $900,000 million in federal transportation funds this year and almost $5 billion in the coming years. The loss of these funds would hurt Georgia's economy, its quality of life and its environment.

Quotes

"If we are to continue in our growth, we must continue to change."

"A new state agency... will coordinate and resolve differences in the planning of transportation in the 13 counties around Atlanta. It will also have the power to operate a mass transit system. All major developments within the metro area that create increased traffic and increased sprawl will be subject to the agency's approval."

"By building checks and balances into the process, I believe we create new incentives for governments and agencies to work with each other to solve our common problems."

(Note: A January 11 article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says: "When he was running for office, Barnes threw out a number of ideas, ranging from creating metrowide superagencies that could master-plan transportation, water and sewer services, to adopting Maryland's practice of restricting state money and permits to areas designated for growth. Faced with the realities of governing, however, Barnes appears to be adopting a go-slow approach to growth management.")

IDAHO

Governor Dirk Kempthorne, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) Among the advantages that make this state special are its environment and its unique quality of life, rich in opportunities to fish, hunt and enjoy the outdoors. A loss of these advantages would destroy the state's identity and heritage. The issues of environmental protection demand collaboration, not confrontation. The previous governor, Philip Batt, proposed a Department of Environmental Quality to ensure a balance between economic growth and protection of public health and the environment. His idea will be implemented. The legislature should budget $1.5 million for the Soil Conservation Service to protect Idaho's waters from excessive daily loads (TMDLs), and an additional $250,000 for the state's Bull Trout Plan. The state should strive to restore its famous salmon streams, but resist expanding federal authority over its water resources.

Quotes

"In dealing with environmental issues, I know regulators often become focused on keeping people from doing the wrong thing, and forget to provide incentives for doing the right thing."

"A solution for the return of Idaho's salmon must include a concern for fish and people. It cannot be based on policies that sacrifice Idaho water or destroy local communities."

ILLINOIS

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

Summary

(State of the state) Getting ready for the competitive and information-driven global economy of the next century, Illinois will build on solid accomplishments. The state has balanced its budget, eliminated a billion dollar Medicaid debt, stimulated business, cut the jobless rate to the lowest level in 25 years and increased funds for education. The government must remain both fiscally prudent and sensitive to the needs of all, eschewing partisanship and building coalitions for middle-ground solutions. The state needs a “Rainy Day Fund” for protection against unexpected economic downturns. The main budgetary priorities include a $536 million increase for education and job training, almost $400 million more for school construction grants, an additional $298 million for higher education and major new funds for reading, scholarship, tuition, technology and workforce programs. The state will encourage brownfield redevelopment, focus on small business and step up efforts to help farmers and promote agricultural exports. Illinois will invest nearly $1.6 billion to rebuild its aging highways and bridges. It also needs to launch long-delayed transit improvements. Another neglected priority is the environment. The state must establish a $160 million bond program for an open land trust, increase funds for urban and neighborhood parks, create trails and greenways, and continue conversions of abandoned mine land into recreational areas. Finally, to prevent sprawl and further massive loss of prime farmland, the state must seek a consensus for future Smart Growth.

Quotes

“We can look back with some shame regarding the manner in which we have abused and misused our natural resources and the environment.”

“With this budget we continue to fund the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program – a $500 million federal/state initiative to provide landowners along the Illinois River with incentives to replace crops with natural habitat. This program will eventually include 232,000 acres along the Illinois and its major tributaries, as well as the Peoria Lakes.”

“With this budget, we are including $11.6 million in additional funding for our successful ‘Conservation 2000' program – to preserve and enhance wildlife habitats while expanding outdoor recreational opportunities.”

“Last year, the Illinois House Smart Growth Task Force produced a thought-provoking report on the growing problem of sprawl and the resultant loss of thousands of acres of some of our state’s most productive land. Two years ago, the American Farmland Trust identified northeastern Illinois as one of the nation’s three highest-risk regions for loss of prime farmland. The task force correctly found that this issue raises serious implications. For housing. Jobs. Air quality. And for our quality of life.”

“I want to work with all of you in the General Assembly. As well as the Realtors. The Homebuilders. The Environmentalists. ... and everyone with interest in addressing this challenge ... to find a way to develop reasonable ‘Smart Growth’ policies for Illinois.”

IOWA

Governor Tom Vilsack, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) The challenges at the threshold of the new century are to preserve Iowa's natural resources, strengthen family and community, upgrade the learning system, ensure help for farmers in need and attract young people to the state.

Quotes

"To preserve and to enhance our natural resource, we must rethink what we do with our land, our water, and our air. We must be good stewards and rededicate ourselves to restoring and conserving the land, to cleaning up the water, and to protecting the air. It is our natural resources that hold the key to a stronger, more prosperous Iowa."

"We often speak as if there were two Iowas -- one rural and one urban. If we are to thrive we must do so as one and we will do so as one."

MAINE

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

Summary

(Inaugural) With almost half of its products coming from land and sea, Maine must protect these natural resources and seek new uses for them. The state must boost its agriculture and learn to harvest the Gulf of Maine without depleting its life. It must acquire new technology, new markets and new business skills. The key to a better future is better education -- involving parents and communities, raising academic standards and increasing school funding. Maine needs jobs and prosperity throughout the state, but cannot let growth undercut its quality of life. People shouldn't have to waste time in traffic jams; they should be able to live in walkable neighborhoods, where they can share a sense of community, feel safe and enjoy nature. Maine lost as much land to development between 1970 and 1990 as in the prior 150 years. By 2050, the loss of acreage and water access would be even greater, threatening the state's historic identity and values. The state must manage future growth to preserve its rich environment for the generations ahead.

Quotes

"The old saying that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer isn't so true anymore; what is true is that the educated - throughout the world -- are getting richer and the uneducated are getting poorer."

"The problem is that increasing prosperity comes with a price, a price often paid in terms of quality of life. More cars, more strip malls, more subdivisions where farms once stood, more empty stores downtown, higher prices for housing, independent small towns turning into bedroom suburbs, more noise and hassle in our lives. How much does a fisherman gain if his income goes up a few thousand dollars but he can no longer afford to live by the sea? How much do any of us gain if we're richer in money and poorer in spirit, in things that make Maine the special place that it has been for so many years?"

"If we ignore this inevitable consequences of economic growth, we'll turn around in ten years or so and wonder where Maine went. The trick is to deal with this issue -- sprawl is the best term I know for it -- in a way that is effective, but is not all bound up in new rules and regulations. And so it's time we begin a great public discussion of the issue -- involving cities and towns, the state, and all our citizens -- to find those answers that are uniquely ours, that respect private property, but at the same time protect what is so important to us about Maine. Another aspect of this issue is the loss of access to Maine's special places -- woodland trails, lakes, streams, the ocean."

"A decade ago, by an overwhelming majority, Maine voters established the Land for Maine's Future program and funded it by the passage of a $35 million bond issue. This has been one of the most successful state programs ever created ... over 60,000 acres of prime sites ... have been set aside for the people of Maine, their children, and their children's children forever. The time has come for us to renew this commitment."

MARYLAND

Governor Parris N. Glendening, D
Term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) Strong and prosperous, Maryland has an aggressive agenda to help all residents benefit from the knowledge-based economy. The state will continue reclaiming its environment and fostering social compassion, justice and equality, with education as its top priority.

Quotes

"We will build upon our Smart Growth/Anti-Sprawl program, protecting farms, fields, rivers and streams, while reinvigorating established neighborhoods."

"It is crucial that we protect our environmental infrastructure ... our green infrastructure. Tax dollars will no longer be used to subsidize sprawl. State funds will only be spent in accordance with Smart Growth guidelines."

MASSACHUSETTS

Governor Argeo Paul Cellucci, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) Massachusetts enjoys prosperity, lower taxes and the lowest unemployment in over a decade. Yet, its high costs of business and shortage of skilled labor have recently caused three big firms to seek better conditions elsewhere. To became more competitive nationally and globally, the state must maintain fiscal discipline, restore excellence in education and enhance its quality of life.

Quotes

"Together, we will improve the quality of life in our state. Our hard work will make a difference. All children will attend exceptional schools. Massachusetts will be an affordable place to live. Everyone will gain access to affordable health care. Our neighborhoods will be safer, our water and air cleaner, and our recreation areas more spacious and better maintained."

"We will acquire more open space, and continue to clean our air and water."

MINNESOTA

Governor Jesse Ventura, Reform
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) With record numbers of young first-time voters and disenchanted middle-wage earners who had ignored the last several elections, the 1998 Minnesota turnout of more than 60 percent was the highest in the country. At the threshold of a new century, Minnesotans want government free from partisan politics -- honest, cooperative and centrist.

(Budget address) The new administration is committed to fiscal prudence, tax relief, investment in education and self-sufficiency for all Minnesotans. Drafted with no lobbyist input, the $23 billion two-year budget reduces state spending hikes to 2.9 percent a year. It gives a total of $1.37 billion in tax cuts to middle-income families, seeks an $808 million increase for K-12 and higher education, and proposes using tobacco settlement money for an endowment to help families obtain health care and get off welfare. The budget adds $90 million to the road construction program, earmarks $60 million for light rail and $19.7 million for other transit projects, and funds emission control studies to improve air quality.

(Note: The Minneapolis Star Tribune gives Governor Ventura high marks both for his budget and for putting the Metropolitan Council under the leadership of Tom Mondale. A January 29 editorial calls Ventura's budget "a solid piece of gubernatorial workmanship." A January 27 editorial hails his "inspired choice" for the council, describing Mondale as a caring politician and consensus-builder who "has the stature and talent to articulate the emerging issue that is described variously as 'the livability agenda,'anti-sprawl,' 'smart growth,' and sometimes 'the New Urbanism.' " The editorial also cites Mondale's view that the state finally has "a governor willing to push for mass transit." In a February 7 interview for the Star Tribune, Mondale said he would judge his tenure successful if action is taken on light rail and added: "the governor wants to ride that before he's out of office.")

NEVADA

Governor Kenny Guinn, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) The state is one of the fastest-growing nationwide, but this growth places a heavy financial burden on schools, social services and infrastructure. The state must face the growth issue put on the legislative agenda last year by Senator Dina Titus in her "Ring around the Valley" proposal. In Clark County the consensus-building process has already started. In the past 18 months a group of local officials, business leaders and environmentalists has spent thousand of hours evaluating the county's challenges and opportunities. The state must become a part of this exceptional cooperation.

Quotes

"If counties can plan for their future, so must the state. Therefore ... I will present this body with a comprehensive plan to address our long-term needs in public school funding. And we should not overlook another major element of growth -- planning for its possible slowdown."

"I will not sign any legislation that alters local or regional government and planning in Clark County unless that legislation has been approved by the Southern Nevada Strategic Planning Authority or Regional Planning Coalition."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Governor Jeanne Shaheen, D
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) In a global, information-based economy, competitiveness, good jobs and quality of life depend on a well- trained and well-educated workforce. New Hampshire's top priority must be improving education across the state. This requires bipartisanship, long-term funding, higher standards for students and teachers, and local control with increased parental involvement. Another high priority must be saving the state's natural and cultural resources for the future generations.

Quotes

"We want a state where people have good jobs, where families are safe and healthy, and our children can inherit the natural and cultural resources that make the quality of our lives so special."

"Our state's rich natural resources are central to who we are in New Hampshire. The state should lead the way in protecting and preserving that natural heritage."

NEW JERSEY

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

Summary

(State of the state) With lower taxes, better public safety, higher academic standards and welfare replaced by jobs, New Jersey will keep its wide open spaces forever. The state will create a public register of its green preservation progress, encourage land donations to conservancy groups and reward donors with cash. The new cash incentive may spur even more donations than are projected and let the state put the money saved into urban park and playground improvements. The spending for urban, suburban and rural parks should be increased by $100 million over the next decade. The 1999 budget will allocate additional funds for state parks.

Quotes

"Because of the Legislature's commitment and the voters' approval, New Jersey is on its way toward an historic achievement: saving one million more acres of open space and farmland. No other state has dedicated as much of its land to preservation."

"I am creating a Garden State Open Space Registry. With the assistance of the Council on New Jersey Outdoors, we will mark every farm parcel preserved, every acre of open space purchase, every patch donated to a land trust."

NEW YORK

Governor George E. Pataki, R
Term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the State) With economic renewal, a great environmental record and prospects for a more than $1 billion budget surplus, the state will further expand tourism, its second-largest industry, launching a plan to restore and promote historic and urban landmarks. These include Fort Ticonderoga, the Erie Canal, Washington's Headquarters in Newburg, Walt Whitman's Birthplace on Long Island, John Brown's Farm in Lake Placid, the Michigan Avenue Baptist Church in Buffalo and Penn Station in New York City. Their restoration will create jobs, revitalize mass transit and help develop other sites, including brownfields. The state will also step up its extensive efforts to protect air, water, farmland, wilderness and such famous sites as Mount Loretto on Staten Island and Hudson River Park on the west side of Manhattan. The state's Environmental Protection Fund should again get a full allocation.

Quotes

"Preserving the historic places that reunite us with our rich and glorious past is an obligation we must fulfill for the children of our future. That is why I will propose legislation and funding to create a New York Heritage Trail"

"Smart new initiatives like Chip Fab New York and Build Now New York are creating construction-ready sites so high-tech companies and other businesses can build, expand and create jobs quickly, without being swarmed by bureaucrats and smothered in paperwork"

"We cannot create wilderness. We cannot create nature. We cannot create the pristine beauty of an environment lost to neglect. But we can preserve it - for ourselves, our children and generations to come."

"Just last month, we announced the largest land conservation agreement in state history -- preserving more than 144,000 acres. This opens some of the most spectacular wild rivers in North America to the public for the first time in more than a century, while preserving jobs vital to the North Country's economy."

"We've made remarkable strides in cleaning up brownfield sites and returning them to the tax rolls. This year, we will intensify that effort."

OHIO

Governor Bob Taft, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(Inaugural) After a decade of bipartisan cooperation, the Ohio economy is strong, its finances are secure and jobs are replacing welfare. The same bipartisanship is needed to improve schools, raise academic achievement and conquer new technological frontiers in the next century. Every student must read, because reading is the key to the high-tech jobs of the future, to personal success and to public safety. Ohio must became the "Reading State" of America.

(Note: As a secretary of state under Governor George Voinovich, who was elected last fall to the U.S. Senate, Bob Taft has run for governor, promising to continue his predecessor's policy, including his land protection commitments. The short gap between administrations was bridged by former Lieutenant Governor Nancy Hollister, who is now in the Ohio General Assembly. As governor, she signed the long-debated farmland preservation bill, which lets state and local governments buy agricultural easements to keep land from being developed. The January 5 issue of the Akron Beacon Journal cites her earlier remark that "her time as a co-chair of the state's farmland preservation task force helped her recognize the importance of Ohio's $67 billion agricultural industry. Another side was the increasing significance of Śsmart growth' policies designed to encourage more balanced development.")

OREGON

Governor John Kitzhaber, D Present term began January 1999

Summary (Inaugural)

Oregon's greatest challenge lies in rejecting political and civic partisanship, and bolstering its historic spirit of cooperation and sense of community. The state's true heritage is its people's open-mindedness and ability to join in creating a unique place and common public agenda. The good ideas in the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watershed Restoration and the Education Act for the 21st Century require numerous legislative sessions to be fully implemented, but will benefit many future generations. The state's main tasks are improving public education, preventing juvenile crime and managing growth.

Quotes

"Oregonians recognize that the major issues with which we must deal &endash; things like education, transportation, public safety, growth and sound environmental stewardship &endash; are not partisan in nature. They affect all Oregonians regardless of where they live, what they do, how much they earn, or what party they belong to."

"(Another) great challenge involves planning and managing growth in a way that will actually make a positive difference in how this state develops over the next twenty years. Oregon is bound to attract growth. Yet growth is a double-edged sword. Handled right, it can offer a path to a bright and prosperous future. Handled wrong, it will slice to shreds everything that makes living here worthwhile."

"Our challenge is to find a way to accommodate growth without sacrificing the special quality of place that makes our state unique."

(Note: Governor Kitzhaber's key budget items include a $100 million increase for the School Improvement Fund and $73 million more for community colleges and state universities; $30 million for the High Risk Juvenile Crime Prevention Partnership; and $30 million for the Oregon Livability Initiative. The initiative sets up incentives to channel the state's strong growth to all its communities. Aiding the land use planning and zoning laws, the initiative will help create jobs in rural areas, expand affordable housing, and boost "mixed use development, downtowns, and mainstreets." The initiative's 21st Century Community Fund will leverage the multi-million dollar state lottery revenues and transportation allotments to back bonds for housing, transit and infrastructure investments. An interagency Community Solutions Team will work with localities on planning and problem solving. The governor also seeks "a state-wide transit network to connect rural Oregon and the Willamette Valley, and address the joint problems of sprawl and congestion." The budget adds $10 million each for high speed rail and special transportation, and $162 million in federal funds to repair roads instead of building new ones.)

(Note: In a January 28 speech at the Erosion Control Conference, Governor Kitzhaber further detailed his priorities, posing two questions: "First, how do we grow more compactly within the urban growth boundary without losing the consensus that sprawl is bad and hence threatening the entire land use system; second, how do we distribute fairly through the state the burden of improving water quality and restoring salmon species." Praising Oregon's push for development within urban boundaries &endash; long seen as a way to preserve farm and forest land &endash; the governor noted the new awareness that this preservation "isn't free." The cost is greater urban density. But the alternative is worse. The governor said: "The alternative to compact development is sprawl onto the farms and forests that lie at the edge of town. And that alternative carries a far greater environmental tag than developing inside the UGB." That's why the governor wants to create incentives for compact development and that's why he proposes "the Oregon Livability Initiative which would fund such incentives.")

PENNSYLVANIA

Governor Tom Ridge, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) Pennsylvania is a pace-setter in environmental protection, recycling and brownfield redevelopment. It is also one of only three states graded "A" for fiscal management. With a new $37 billion budget, the state will boost e-commerce, redesign economic development tools and advance a number of environmental, educational and growth management programs. They include the Growing Greener initiative, the School District Empowerment Act, CyberStart, Read to Succeed and the Technology Investment Authority.

Quotes

"We're number one in rails-to-trails -- we have converted more abandoned railbeds into enviro-friendly Ślinear parks' than any other state. And we're number one when it comes to cleaning up old industrial sites. Our program is the model for the nation -- 350 sites reclaimed so far, 13,000 new jobs and counting."

"Our efforts to improve Pennsylvania's quality of life must include the protection of our environment. I ask that you put a three-year freeze and a permanent cap on landfills in Pennsylvania."

"This budget offers the most sweeping change in Pennsylvania's environmental spending policy in the last 30 years. It will lead Pennsylvania down the path of "Growing Greener" in the 21st century. Changing how we spend that money will enable us to focus like never before on cleaner water, better parks, preserving open space and farmland and controlling sprawl. "Growing Greener" is a new way of looking at our environment -- and the role government should play in protecting it."

RHODE ISLAND

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

Summary

(State of the state) With its booming economy and low unemployment, Rhode Island is investing in transportation, open space and education. To give children the healthiest and the most promising start in life, the state must increase funds for removing lead from its old housing, for providing its working families with affordable child care and for helping pupils master reading by the fourth grade. Most of the additional $21 million for schools must go to urban areas to assure them an equal educational opportunity. All new lottery revenues should also go for school renovation and construction. Rhode Island high school and college graduates will find well-paying jobs at the container port planned for Quonset, a former defense complex transferred last fall to the state by federal government. Plans for Quonset, as the only full-service deep water port between New York and Halifax, envisage new roads, new structures and preserved open space. The state will also spur business and job creation in cities, and intensify efforts to protect the environment.

Quotes

"We have to boost employment in our urban areas. Last year we created our tenth enterprise zone and we doubled the tax credits for hiring within the enterprise zones."

SOUTH CAROLINA

Governor Jim Hodges, D
Present term began January 1999

Quotes

(Inaugural) "My administration will be pro-business because ... the lives of our children depend on our state's continued economic prosperity. Economically, we have solid base of tourism, service industries and agriculture, along with the beginning of high-tech industry. South Carolina is on the verge of becoming a major player in the global marketplace. But economic success is not enough."

"As a businessman, I believe that we can protect our natural environment at the same time we foster our business climate. The beauty of our state -- its pristine beaches, protected wetlands, and precious forests -- must be protected for our children."

Summary

(State of the state) South Carolina must focus on improving child health and education. It must deal with the $4 billion problem of substandard school buildings, while setting high standards for students, teachers and parents. Each year, parents should sign a "Compact with Our Children," a pledge to read with them; to ensure rest, food, study space and a healthy environment for each child; and to support schools by volunteering, visiting classrooms and working with teachers. The state needs a lottery, which would commit at least $150 million a year to education. Meantime, educational spending should be increased by $380,000 million. A new Governor's Institute on Reading will use grants to promote a collaborative reading effort; a new South Carolina First Steps program will bring together business, foundation and community leaders to help children enter schools healthy and ready to learn.

Quotes

"Funding for education must be our number one priority."

"My strong development agenda is coupled with a strong conservation ethics."

TENNESSEE

Governor Don Sundquist, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) In 1923, Governor Austin Peay and the 73d General Assembly ushered Tennessee from years of crisis into the post-war 20th century by initiating reforms that resulted in better public education, modern highways, state funding for the University of Tennessee, and the creation of state parks, including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Today, Tennessee enjoys unprecedented economic growth and the cleanest environment in decades, but still faces similar challenges. The state must give children a healthy start and an excellent education, reform the tax system, create economic opportunities, develop a skilled workforce, and protect public safety, health and the environment.

Quotes

"Our program ... will enable us to protect the natural beauty all around us in Tennessee and to pass it on to our children and to their children."

TEXAS

Governor George W. Bush, R
Present term began January 1999

Summary

(State of the state) The Texas budget has two priorities: tax cuts and further improvements in public schools. The main tax measure should be a $2 billion property tax cut to encourage home ownership and sustain the state's share of spending on education. The main educational measures should give school districts an additional $1 billion for raising salaries or hiring more teachers, and double the $3 billion bond issue for new schools. Texas must also keep involving business in its push for the best quality of life.

Quotes

"I believe business and a healthy environment can co-exist. I look forward to working with Senator Buster Brown and Representative Ray Allen on legislation to make our Texas air cleaner by significantly reducing emissions from older grandfathered plants. And I propose that we continue to encourage private landowners to conserve land, plant trees, protect wildlife, and improve water quality."

"Our Texas heritage is not only our land, but also buildings. And so I urge you to restore our historic courthouses. They are beautiful works of architecture that have been the hearth of our Texas communities for generations."

UTAH

Governor Michael O. Leavitt, R
Term began January 1997

Summary

(State of the state) By the time for the 2002 Winter Olympics, Utah will have the foundation to become a "digital" state, with common high-speed access to the worldwide web eased by a new technology called "webtone." Webtone will bring college education to homes and medical help to remote areas, permit electronic contact with government services, and allow online trade and banking 24 hours a day. It will enhance the impact of investments in education on reading skills, teacher training and parental involvement. In time, children will also benefit from the recent swap of state and federal lands, involving thousands of acres of school trust land. The swap, worked out by state, national, local and environmental leaders, reflects a new environmental doctrine called "Enlibra." This Latin name refers to Utah's new policy of balance and stewardship. Given its assured economic expansion, Utah must strive for better growth. All residents should participate in Envision Utah's efforts to choose the best scenario for 2020. They should also support the new Quality Growth Act of 1999.

Quotes

"The cost of solving our education problems is minuscule compared to the cost of doing nothing."

"A diploma must be a meaningful guarantee of competence, not just a verification of attendance.

"As green fields become subdivisions and water supplies dwindle ... will we continue to grow without plan or purpose or will our course be guided by vision and logic."

"Three-and-a-half years ago our state undertook a historic growth summit. The result was the Centennial Highway Fund, a $3.8 billion, 10-year statement of optimism and investment in transportation and community."

"Decisions must remain in the hands of local communities, city councils, county commissions and legislators. But the decisions will be dramatically better when driven by an informed electorate with an eye focused clearly on the future."

"The Quality Growth Act of 1999 (is) a clear policy statement that we will preserve open space, reject sprawl and value housing for our families as a high priority."

"Two years ago, I stood in the same spot and urged anyone ever sustained or smitten by our wild and scenic lands to start working toward an agreement on how to preserve them incrementally. Tonight, I renew that call. The solution ... can be found in cooperation, the best practices of the West and a clear path to achievement through balance and good stewardship."

(Note: The February 4 issue of the Desert News says that after three months of negotiations among lawmakers, local officials, developers, conservationists and civic leaders, the final version of the 1999 Utah Quality Growth Act is almost ready for the legislature. Governor Leavitt confirmed that the growth act is one of his highest priorities. The daily says that the act "establishes a Quality Growth Commission, which gives incentives to cities and towns to control urban sprawl." The act also restores the LeRay Mc Allister Critical Land Conservation Fund, sets up a $5 million open space fund and calls on the legislature to define "Quality Growth Areas.")

VERMONT

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

Summary

(State of the state) Prosperous and committed to land preservation, Vermont must now focus on education and jobs. In an economy driven by knowledge, better jobs go to better educated workers. This increases the need for more investments to improve early education and child care, raise academic standards, encourage teacher certification, promote technical education and distance learning, and provide college scholarships. The state should re-capitalize Vermont Economic Development Authority to help farmers and small businesses with low interest loans, and use tax credits to spur small business startups. It should also double its spending on road and bridge repairs, and step up efforts to preserve open space. As the Conservation Fund has recently bought the Champion land in Essex and Caledonia counties, the state supplemental budget must include $4.5 million to ensure that these 130,000 acres of natural habitat will always remain available for logging and for public recreation, but be safe from development.

Quotes

"We have shown that good jobs and the strongest possible protection of the environment need not be in conflict."

"We have an extraordinary opportunity to preserve what we value about Vermont's landscape and keep our sense of community. If you think these values are not at risk, look around you at other states: forest lands stripped, big-box stores turning downtowns into ghost towns, grazing fields now supporting condominiums. We in Vermont have a rare gift, a chance to encourage the best growth possible, while holding off the worst aspects of urbanization paving over too much of America."

"The business community and development interests, state and local governments, non-profits and local citizens working together will find solutions which respect Vermonters' values and desires for open space, a strong sense of community and economic opportunity."

WASHINGTON

Governor Gary Locke, D
Present term began January 1997

Summary

(State of the state) In the past two years, Washington State has made a good bipartisan start on solving its problems. Unemployment and welfare rates are low, the tobacco settlement provides more funds for health care, higher academic standards result in better test scores and the Saving Incentive Plan frees up millions for technology and for school construction. To succeed in the next century, the state must focus on education, beginning with early childhood. It must create Opportunity School Districts, where money goes directly to schools and most state regulations are waived. It must also help localities hire more certified teachers and pay them better, involve parents in school activities, inspire children to become avid readers and reward student achievements with college scholarships. Colleges should expand to accommodate a new surge of applicants, and prepare them to fill the 7,000 high-tech job openings in the state. A well-educated, knowledgeable population will also be better prepared to protect the environment and handle such growth impediments as mounting traffic and road congestion.

Quotes

"Education is the great equalizer in our society, and knowledge is the price of admission to the 21st century."

"We must learn to live in harmony with the natural world that sustain us, and we must protect the wild salmon, the rivers, the forests and the agricultural lands that will sustain the people of the 21st century and beyond."

"We've learned that our natural environment is finite and fragile, and that when we abuse our environment, there are measurable and often irreversible consequences."

"If we fail to do what's necessary for salmon, we will fail at something far larger than saving fish. We will fail at saving the very quality of life that makes living in the Pacific Northwest special and distinctive."

"Restoring salmon -- and protecting our environment -- will affect decisions about where and how we build new homes, and expand or start businesses. It will affect how we wash our cars and fertilize our lawns, and how much we pay for water and electricity."

"I am calling for over $200 million in immediate state and federal investments to help local and tribal governments implement watershed recovery plans; to enforce the environmental laws we already have on the books; to remove barriers to fish in our streams; and to help farmers and timber owners protect salmon habitat."

"We must provide real, measurable relief from the traffic congestion that impedes economic growth and drives commuters crazy."

WEST VIRGINIA

Governor Cecil H. Underwood, R
Present term began January 1997

Summary

(State of the state) Successful in creating jobs and leveraging private investments, West Virginia is crucial in the nation's energy chain, but must deal with threats posed to its coal and steel sectors by foreign markets and by global warming. West Virginia has led a group of southern and midwestern states that asked the federal government for alternative emission standards to protect not only the environment, but also their industries. The state is working to assess its environmental challenges, reform its tax system and education funding, improve its infrastructure, and attract more business and tourism. Infrastructure investments have spurred 83 water and wastewater treatment projects, and several industrial parks. They have also sped up a record-breaking road program across the state. The program includes renovation or replacement of 84 bridges and the repaving of 1,600 miles of highways.

Quotes

"Government needs to establish a balance between costs and benefits in the exercise of its environmental stewardship. I believe the environment and natural resources can be protected and, at the same time, provide recreation and employment for people."

"Westvaco Corporation has contracted with the Nature Conservancy to conduct an environmental audit of each of its 350,000 acres of West Virginia forestland. It will identify environmentally sensitive sites, including habitats for endangered species, unique plants and geological formations. This model of cooperation leads to decisions built on common ground and avoids divisive, nonproductive confrontations."

WISCONSIN

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

Summary

(State of the state) Wisconsin highlights include high employment, extensive health insurance, improved academic scores, a well cared-for environment and an excellent quality of life. The new initiatives are focused mostly on children, to prepare them for the next century. The state will invest $50 million to reduce class sizes. It will fully fund two-thirds of local schools and allocate $350,000 to school districts for teaching foreign languages in the elementary grades via the TEACH network. A new Early Childhood Excellence Initiative will create at least five urban learning centers for the youngest children to teach them reading, music, languages and computer technology. A $4 million literacy initiative will help low-income adults learn to read. The budget will also include more money for health and family care, and for improving transportation.

Quotes

" ... The first biennial budged of the next century ... will feature a visionary package for protecting our environment -- including a new Stewardship program -- exciting new programs for agriculture and rural Wisconsin, an anti-crime strategy, and a major investment in the University of Wisconsin."

"Helping our communities build necessary schools is just about the smartest investment the state can make. I will not back away from this partnership."

"Let's tear down those walls that separate our schools and universities. Give students the education they need for the jobs tomorrow."

"A state ready to charge into next century, must do so with an efficient and modern transportation system. Therefore, I am proposing several new initiatives on passenger rail."

"The Midwest Rail Initiative would carry people between nine states, on 3,000 miles of track, at 110 miles an hour. It will travel to nearly 70 metropolitan areas and 11 urban centers -- including a line that will connect Milwaukee and Madison to Chicago and Minneapolis."

WYOMING

Governor Jim Geringer, R
Present term began January 1999