Connecticut Voters Face Complicated Amendment Question On State Land Sales
Hammonasset Beach in Madison is one of the state’s most popular plots of public land. Photo by Patrick Skahill for Connecticut Public Radio
Voters this November won’t only be deciding on a long list of candidates for elected office. They’ll also decide two ballot questions which, for the first time in a decade, could amend the state’s constitution.
But the questions are long and hard to understand. Here’s an explanation of ballot question number two, which is about the sale of state land. If passed, it could have a major impact on the environment and government transparency.
Pamela Adams said there’s a way the sale of public land is supposed to work.
If legislators want to sell, swap, or giveaway land used owned by the state, they raise a bill and that bill gets a public hearing.
At least, that’s how it’s supposed to go.
“But oftentimes, at the end of a session,” Adams said, “some of these sales or trades or giveaways are done at the 11th hour. There is no public hearing on it. In fact, no discussion on it, in many cases.”