ALERT! Federal Zoning Vote

**ALERT!**   Federal Zoning Vote!

THIS THURSDAY, April 25, the bill to mandate land use zoning by the
federal government across the United States will be voted on!!!!

This is the same bill that was brought up for a vote two weeks ago, but
pulled from consideration at the last minute. The land-grabbers have
regrouped, and are trying again!

Senate bill 975 - S. 975 - will be voted on in the Senate Environment and
Public Works Committee Thursday afternoon. The grassroots made the
difference and turned away the bill two weeks ago - NOW it is time to do it
again!!!

YOU MUST CALL, CALL, AND CALL AGAIN WEDNESDAY AND   THURSDAY,
APRIL 24 AND 25. SEND FAXES TOO. DON'T JUST SEND   E-MAIL

WHY is S. 975 such a terrible bill??? HERE is why:

In 1999, the Clinton Administration paid $2 million for a "Smart Growth
Legislative Guidebook" that is intended to "guide" counties, cities and
towns on how to update their zoning. That's right folks - Big Brother Knows
Best - local zoning directed by Washington, DC.

This $2 million dollar boondoggle was completed last year, and now awaits
legislation that will enforce its edicts.

S. 975 is that bill. It offers grants that will pay 90% - that's right,
90% - of the cost for localities to update zoning plans - BUT ONLY IF they
do it the way the feds want them to!

HERE is what S. 975 says, and what it will do:

Offers to pay for 90% of the cost of updating zoning plans - ONLY if
localities do what the feds say.

Requires land use planning to "promote social equity." SOCIAL EQUITY???

Requires localities to "conserve historic, scenic, natural an cultural
resources." What about people?

"Integrate local land use plans with Federal land use plans." This means
local zoning controlled by Washington, DC - and the UNITED NATIONS
wherever Bill Clinton had agreed to a World Heritage site or other
international designation!!!

The term "private property rights" appears NOWHERE in the bill! *

WHO is behind this disaster? An outfit called the American Planning
Association (APA). Check them out at www.planning.org. They are great
supporters of the Endangered Species Act and all federal land use control.

There are many very good and dedicated career bureaucrats out there.

However, the APA, unfortunately, is run by elitist and arrogant career
planners who believe they know best - and elected and appointed zoning
boards, city councils and county commissioners can all TAKE A HIKE.

APA are great supporters of S. 975 because it takes power away from
ELECTED local governments and puts it into the hands of APPOINTED
regional and state boards and commissions.

Oh yes, one other thing - S. 975 hands out money as well as power to APA
members, by requiring "consultation and cooperation" with "nonprofit
organizations that promote land use planning" - in other words, APA!

WHAT SENATORS support this disaster, and who needs to be contacted?

Here are BILL SUPPORTERS on the Environment and Public Works Committee:

#1 - SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON - do you need any further evidence that S.
975 is a disaster for private property rights????? Hillary Clinton
supports it!

#2 - SENATOR JOE LIEBERMAN - Al Gore's running mate is one of the prime
movers of this massive federal power grab!

#3 - SENATOR HARRY REID - he steered the "Son of CARA" Land Grab bill
through committee and through the Senate with NO debate and NO recorded
vote! Now he wants to do the same with S.975!

ALSO -

Sen. James M. Jeffords, Vermont - Independent
Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon - Democrat
Lincoln Chafee, Rhode Island - Republican
Barbara Boxer, California - Democrat
Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania - Republican
Thomas R. Carper, Delaware - Democrat
Jon S. Corzine, New Jersey - Democrat

***** As usual, you can't tell the difference between the two parties -
the Republicans are nearly as much to blame as the Democrats. *****

SWING VOTES - it is especially important to contact these Senators below,
in particular if you are from their home states - but please email ALL OF
THEM regardless of where you live:

Max Baucus (Democrat), Montana-phone: (202) 224-2651 -- fax: (202)
228-3687 -- Email: max@baucus.senate.gov

Christopher S. Bond (Republican), Missouri-phone: (202) 224-5721 -- fax:
(202) 224-8149 -- Email: kit_bond@bond.senate.gov

Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Republican), Colorado - phone: (202 224-5852 --
fax: (202) (202) 224-1933 -- Email: go to http://campbell.senate.gov/

Michael D. Crapo (Republican), Idaho - phone: (202) 224-6142 -- fax: (202)
228-1375 -- Email: go to web to send an e-mail: http://crapo.senate.gov/

Bob Graham (Democrat), Florida - phone: (202) 224-3041 - fax: (202)
224-2237 -- Email: bob_graham@graham.senate.gov

Bob Smith (Republican), New Hampshire - phone: (202) 224-2841 - fax (202)
224-1353 -- Email: opinion@smith.senate.gov

George V. Voinovich (Republican), Ohio - phone: (202) 224-3353 -- fax:
(202) 228-1382 -- Email: senator_voinovich@voinovich.senate.gov

John W. Warner (Republican), Virginia - phone: (202 224-2023 -- fax: (202)
224-6295 --Email: senator@warner.senate.gov

HERO:

Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, as he has done so many times before, is
fighting   FOR your private property rights and AGAINST handing over
more
power to the feds and the United Nations.    PLEASE THANK Senator Inhofe
for fighting S. 975:

James M. Inhofe (Republican), Oklahoma - phone: (202) 224-4721 -- fax:
(202) -228-0380 -- Email: james_inhofe@inhofe.senate.gov

Please contact all the swing votes listed above!!!

STATUS:

Opposition to S. 975, Federal Control of Zoning, is building. Most of the
Republicans have finally located their spines and decided to support local
control over federal takeover.

All of the Democrats except possibly Senator Max Baucus of Montana are
solidly in support of S. 975.

If the vote is close, that may be all we need to stop S. 975. If the vote
is too close, then the bill will not move farther even if it gets out of
committee, because it will be considered too controversial and will take up
too much of the full Senate's floor time.

YOU made the difference once before, YOU can make the difference again!

Call at least three friends to get them to call and fax. Give them the
numbers.

Please forward this message as widely as possible!!