Will Abbott

TO Members of the House Municipal & Country Government Committee I oppose HB 1649 for two reasons. First, it seems to arbitrarily wave the big arm of the state to prevent municipalities that wish to support the work of non-profit organizations in their communities. Why is this necessary? If voters in a community wish to oppose such an appropriation by the municipality they can do so at town meeting. If enough oppose it, it gets defeated. Please keep these decisions local. Second, the bill appears to prevent municipalities from contributing money to local land conservation projects that are proposed by non-profit land trusts. Many good land conservation projects are patchwork quilts, which only work when partnerships between land trusts, private donors and municipalities pool their resources. This kind of public private partnership should be encouraged, not legally blackballed. Please ITL this bill. Will Abbott 21 Lincoln Road Holderness, NH 03245