Problem Solving: Sharing the future

Last year's fight over property rights led to voters' well-considered decision against an initiative that could have damaged the environment, cost taxpayers big money and damaged farm communities. Saying no to Initiative 933, however, didn't solve the legitimate concerns of farmers about increasing limits on land use without fair trade-offs.

A proposal from Gov. Chris Gregoire and a number of legislators offers the most promising route toward working out answers that protect the environment, the public and private property rights. Gregoire wants money for work by the William D. Ruckelshaus Center on how to resolve the issues in ways that satisfy the key interests. A pending bill, ESHB2212, would set up guidelines for the work.

The center, which is based at both the University of Washington and Washington State University, would conduct an initial assessment of whether the various groups could reach a collaborative agreement. The challenges certainly would be large. Some farmers say they can't wait for what likely would be a two-year process.

As the election showed, the public doesn't want property rights to trump other vital state interests, such as farmland preservation, reasonable zoning controls and good growth management. But the public wants to respect private property.

Collaboration through the Ruckelshaus Center is the way to build a better, shared future. The alternative is further fighting that needlessly pits Washingtonians against one another.