CHAIR'S MESSAGE

By Daniel J. Curtin, Jr.

We are now in final preparation for the 2002 Annual Meeting of the American Bar Association in Washington, D.C., and our State and Local Government Law Section programs to be held on August 8-11 at the Omni Shoreham. The Section plans two official CLE programs. The annual Robert Freilich report on the latest U.S. Supreme Court decisions will be held on Friday, August 9; then on Saturday, August 10, there will be a joint program with the Real Property Section relating to takings and a detailed discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Tahoe Sierra Preservation Council, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency on the issue of whether or not a development moratorium amounts to a taking under the Fifth Amendment. The decision will be handed down by the Court this Term. In addition, other programs will be presented and the Section will sponsor the annual Jefferson Fordham Awards Luncheon to be held at noon on Friday, August 9. The Section will also participate in the annual CEELI (Central and Eastern European Law Initiative) Luncheon to be held on Saturday, August 10, and the Margaret Brent Awards Luncheon to be held on Sunday, August 11. The Annual Meeting will be a great opportunity for attorneys to catch up on the latest on takings and the activities of the U.S. Supreme Court in the year 2002 as discussed by Bob Freilich. Please mark your calendars to attend this very important meeting.

In February, our Section’s latest publication, entitled Taking Sides on Takings Issues—Public and Private Perspectives, Thomas E. Roberts, editor, came off the press. This comprehensive 600-page book includes excellent discussions and analysis of the most recent case law and valuable critiques and explanations from the leading practitioners and national scholars specializing in takings law. The book compares and contrasts both public and private perspectives on the most controversial issues in takings law and is available at a reduced price for State and Local Government Law Section members at $79.95 plus tax, where applicable, and handling charges. Information on ordering can be obtained from:

American Bar Association
Publication Orders
P.O. Box 10892
Chicago, IL 60610-0892
800/285-2221
Fax 312/988-5568
Website: www.ababooks.org

This publication follows on the heels of an earlier publication published by the Section entitled Trends in Land Use Law from A-Z: Adult Uses to Zoning, Patricia E. Salkin, editor. That book is an excellent compilation of significant trends in land-use law at the turn of the new century. It features landmark First Amendment and equal protection issues decided by the U.S. Supreme Court as well as legislative actions taken by Congress and regulatory actions by federal agencies. It can also be ordered by referring to the above information.

In addition, the Section, in cooperation with its Finance Committee, is sponsoring a financing program in Prague, the Czech Republic, entitled "Sub-Sovereign finance in the New Europe." This will be held April 15-16, 2002, and the focus will be sovereign financing opportunities for Central and Eastern Europe and there will be expert presentations on European experiences, United Kingdom initiatives, United States’ practices, and a discussion of policy approaches for legal and financial building blocks. To register, contact our Section Administrator, Jackie Baker, at 312/988-5652 or e-mail jbaker@staff.abanet.org.

Again, I am looking forward to working with all of you and hearing from many of you in the remaining months of my term. Also, please feel free to contact any of the officers of the Section, Jackie Baker, our Section administrator, or myself if you have questions, suggestions, or comments.

Daniel J. Curtin, Jr., is Chair of the Section and practices law with McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enerson, LLP, in Walnut Creek, California.