Yesterday, the voters of Connecticut voted overwhelmingly to protect State-owned properties and historic buildings from falling into private hands without public oversight. As of this blog post, the Associated Press reports that 84% of voters said YES to ballot Question 2. Here’s the language:
“Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to require (1) a public hearing and the enactment of legislation limited in subject matter to the transfer, sale or disposition of state-owned or state-controlled real property or interests in real property in order for the General Assembly to require a state agency to sell, transfer or dispose of any real property or interest in real property that is under the custody or control of the agency, and (2) if such property is under the custody or control of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, that such enactment of legislation be passed by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of each house of the General Assembly?”
Before Question 2 was adopted in November 2018, the Connecticut legislature had the power to dispose of State property without public input. Now, the State legislature must take public input into account before disposing of historic buildings like Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford and the Southbury Training School (both pictured below) are two historic buildings. Three cheers for the voters of Connecticut saying yes to the protection of public lands.
