CAPR's blog

Cowboy Summit 2018

April 25, 2018

Ranchers came together for a day long summit to work with one another and Legislators with a full agenda and discussion of goals for Wolf Management.  Good progress was made and plans for achieving those goals were put in place.  The Cattle Producers of Washington and the Washington Cattlemen’s Association, along with the Washington Farm Bureau hosted and were led by Steve McLaughlin of the Northern Wolf Coalition.

Citizens' Alliance for Property Rights (CAPR) was pleased to accept on behalf of our membership an invitation from Representative Luanne Van Werven to attend the signing of her bill 2307!  This marks an important moment in the work CAPR has done to promote property rights, and to promote the recognition of the substantive rights of property owners - the legislature must acknowledge the validity, or legality of its acts, and that law-making has consequences.  We are enthused to see this bill reflects these ideals!  Representative Van Werven has with this bill taken an important step in protecting property owners and their rights.

Steve Mclaughlin has been working with a broad based coalition to help people understand the facts about wolves in Washington.  Recently he presented his information to the CAPR King County Chapter, the CAPR members in attendance were quite interested in Steve's presentation and here supply infromation to share about what was learned from Steve.

The Economic Effect of Wolf Predation on Ranching Families and Rural Communities

By

Rod Haeberle and Steve McLaughlin

(The monetary numbers provided in this article are notional and introduced for the sole purpose of illustrating the unseen economic impact to a ranching family and the community, but they’re close enough to make a point!)

How is that Hirst Fix working out for ya?  In Spokane County, the answer is shamefully, woefully, not well!  Spokane County's response to the latest in fix for Hirst, 6091 which is now session law,  is to go ahead with a questionable water bank that will be severely intrusive and seriously devalue properties with covenances stating restricted water use, and requiring an easement for the property right of the air space above your home so you may be monitored for enforcement purposes!  6091 fails by many miles, far short of the much needed oversight of Agencies and Local Government that a well-constructed constitutionally based bill should have.  Ecology has written with the help of Spokane County Commissioners, Water Resource Managers and Aspect Consulting a systemic method to deny the people of Spokane County the d

For too many years, the people of Skagit County have wrongfully had their water rights stolen from them.  CAPR worked hard through the CAPR Skagit County chapter to right the wrongs by educating people about how this Phony Water Crisis came about, and helping Richard Fox and his family in legal battles to restore his water rights.  This battle was fought by the Fox Family on behalf of thousands of people in Skagit who had their water rights interrupted or stolen.  http://caselaw.findlaw.com/wa-court-of-appeals/1731705.html

Now there is an opportunity to right the wrongs that have been done to the Fox Family and many hundreds of other families in Skagit County.

Today, January 13, 2018, the Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee SB 6091 is amended and can be seen here:

http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2017-18/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/6091-S.pdf  It is now in the Rules committee, where it will either languish and compete with other "Hirst Fix" bills, or will be voted in Rules to go to the Senate floor for a vote.  

Yesterday, the Washington State Legislature started the new Legislative session with great ceremony and fanfare in Olympia.  On the first day of session, every year, the legislators walk down the aisle, Democrats on the left, Republicans on the right as they stride to their respective seats.  The flag ceremony, the anthem, new leadership sworn in, newly electeds recognized by their peers, and the visitor’s gallery is filled to capacity.  Thus begins the clock for the countdown to the end of the “short” session.  Every second that ticks by, a certain sense of urgency grips the state.  From long, painful experience we know our freedoms and our pocketbooks will not be safe as long as the legislature remains in session in Olympia.

Citizens' Alliance for Property Rights Defending and restoring property rights since 2003

 Stop the Phony Water Crisis!

A CAPR Legislative Action Alert!

UPDATE!

We at CAPR were fortunate to have Mr. Hopper as a key note speaker at the annual CAPR Banquet and Auction.  His work has benefitted property owners over many years, most famously winning at the Supreme Court in the Rapanos v. United States case against the EPA.  We are grateful for Mr. Reed and his work.  The Pacific Legal Foundation calls Mr. Hopper "A man of conviction, courage and compassion, Reed was a loving family man and generous friend and on the professional level, a brilliant litigator and renowned Supreme Court advocate."  Thank you Mr. Reed Hopper.