Point Reyes Light -- September 12, 1996

Supe fighting for open space

By Dave Mitchell

Although Supervisor Gary Giacomini is retiring at the end of this year, he seems to be even more active in trying to save open space in West Marin:

  • Last Thursday night, he appeared before the West Marin Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Measure A, which would authorize a 1/4-cent county sales tax to preserve open space and improve city parks in Marin.

  • He has also formed the Giacomini Seashore PAC (Political Action Committee) which, he has written, "will provide the necessary resources to take any and all appropriate steps to advance the twin goals of coastal and agricultural protection here in Marin and statewide."

    Speaking to a chamber meeting at Tony's Seafood in Marshall, Giacomini stressed that Measure A is needed to rebuild MALT coffers. Marin Agricultural Land Trust, which buys conservation easements from ranchers - thus guaranteeing that ranchlands will always remain in agriculture - "is out of money," he said. "So is the county Open Space District."

    Measure A would provide MALT with $15 million over 10 years, which would go toward the trust's "ultimate goal" of protecting 165,000 acres in Marin, Giacomini said.

    "If [Measure A] passes, Marin will still have the lowest sales tax in the Bay Area," he added. "Two or three percent of the county lives in West Marin, but 25 percent of the money will be spent here."

    Seashore PAC
    In writing about his Seashore PAC, Giacomini said it too would help MALT "save 38,000 acres on Tomales Bay forever." The "powerful, bipartisan, statewide political action committee" would lobby Congress to fund the Point Reyes Farmland Protection Act, which Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's office has drafted but not introduced pending support from ranchers.

    Besides lobbying "to protect agricultural and coastal lands in perpetuity, [the PAC] will make significant political contributions to help elect local and state candidates who share these views," Giacomini vowed.

    Those interested in contributing to the PAC can send checks to: Giacomini Seashore PAC, Box 573, Woodacre, 94973.

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