WHEREAS, nearly forty seven percent of the state of California is already federal land and vast portions of the states in the West are federal holdings; and

WHEREAS, the expansion of the federal estate would serve to decrease local property tax bases, disrupt rural economies, further decrease our important natural resource-based industries, and interfere with the basic freedom of owning private property while doing little or nothing to improve the quality of the environment; and

WHEREAS, when certain specific purchases of lands by the federal government are justified they should be after the specific debate and approval of Congress; and

WHEREAS, the California Republican Party is the party of freedom, individual liberty, and private enterprise, and the expansion of the federal land estate is directly contrary to Republican ideals; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Republican Party strongly opposes any new initiative by Congress to create land trust funds from the Land and Water Conservation Fund or any other revenue stream that is an entitlement program or serves the purpose of expanding the already vast amount of land holdings; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the California Republican Party strongly urges

other state and local governments to also oppose S. 25, H.R. 701, or any expansion of the federal estate or creation of a land trust fund.

SUBMITTED BY TRUDY K. THOMAS

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY AS AMENDED BY THE CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY AT THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL CONVENTION FEBRUARY 28, 1999.