The third and final part of the referendum would establish a governor-appointed Council on Sustainable Forestry to develop state forestry policies. Carter said the panel membership is intended to be politically neutral. According to Holt, however, landowners would not be permitted on the panel due to their allegedly inherent conflict of interest. Given the politically charged atmosphere surrounding how the forest should be managed, and the complex science and economics that drive the industry, few voters at the ballot box will have the expertise to weigh the issues on its own merits. The Attorney General's office has helped solve that problem by condensing the entire referendum into one question.
Proponents say the question shows how reasonable the petition is.