SCENIC ROADS AND PARKWAYS 241 



really primitive natural areas, and I am thinking not only of public 

 areas, but private lands the extent to which they have ecological 

 research value or educational value. If we could set up criteria for 

 rating lands by law, then it might be simply the competition the 

 market price of some of these properties would cause other routes 

 to be selected. 



Statements Submitted for the Record 



LAURENCE J. AURBACH. I would like to address a remark to 

 the comment made by Mr. Owings regarding possible tax legislation 

 to encourage gifts of property to State and local governments for 

 open space purposes. Federal tax incentives are one very positive 

 means to secure open space land for State and local governments. 

 However, even under existing tax law, there are substantial tax bene- 

 fits in donating property for local open space purposes. 



The County of Santa Clara has a particularly aggressive and for- 

 ward-looking open space program. The taxpayers have voted bonds 

 for the acquisition of park lands. We have published a leaflet which 

 explains the tax advantages of donating such property to the county 

 under the present state of the law. 



This brochure explains the charitable deduction that is available 

 to those who give property to local governments. The new charitable 

 deduction carryover is similarly available to those who participate 

 in a county's open space program. In addition to the charitable 

 deduction, a donor would save the tax he would otherwise have to 

 pay on the profit he made from the sale. The brochure also explains 

 how to make a bargain sale of property, i.e., the sale of the property 

 to the county for the cost to the individual. A donor who grants a 

 scenic easement, but retains the fee interest in the property would 

 retain the right to use the property and take a charitable deduction. 

 The possibility of reserving a life estate for a gift is also explained, 

 as well as the tax advantages of making a gift during life, rather 

 than by will. 



Tax incentives to promote gifts of land to public agencies are 

 important; it is equally important for the public to understand 

 the status of law so they can both participate in local government 

 programs and take advantage of the maximum deduction that is 

 permitted to them by law. 



VALLEAU C. CURTIS. In reply to Mrs. Albert Lasker of New York 



