People have made it clear - they value open space and access to natural areas and they are willing to pay for it. A study conducted in 1998 found that Americans consider the rate at which land is being developed and our natural habitats are being lost one of the most serious environmental problems in the country. And that sentiment is clearly shared by residents in Northeastern Illinois. Voters in Kane, Lake and Will counties approved referendums this month supporting significant public spending for expansion of area forest preserves. Will County voters agreed to buy 6,500 acres.
Partnerships are extremely important to our smart growth strategy.
We must have a coordinated, integrated approach, or we won't be successful. I have had the privilege, as lieutenant governor, to serve on the Executive Council of Chicago Metropolis 2020 - a project of the Commercial Club of Chicago. And it invites them to be a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem. In short, it is an example of smart growth philosophies already at work in the area. Even in the Lieutenant Governor's Office we are practicing smart growth.