Abolish and shutdown the Cape Cod Commission, or alternatively, remove its land use regulatory authority thus making it an advisory county government agency only.

The Cape Cod Commission claims that it lives within its means. This is nothing less than an outright fabrication because first it is based upon the false premise that the Commission earns the funding that it brings in, and second that it produces something of concrete value. It does not do either of these things.

The funds upon which it functions are taxpayer-generated dollars and public subsidies in the form of government grants and/or earmarks from fees and taxes generated by real estate transactions or paid directly from Cape Cod towns.

The Commission unjustly interferes with local municpal control regarding land use planning and zoning matters. It is an expensive, less-than-transparent, and unnecessary layer of county government bureaucracy that has stifled economic development on Cape Cod to the point where our next generation of citizens is now fleeing by the multitude because there are not enough decent paying jobs and they cannot afford to live here. As a matter of fact, the Cape Cod Commission has created zero private-sector jobs and zero new business start-ups. Its members are appointed by county and municipal officials, not directly elected by the voters, and as a result are not accountable to anyone but themselves despite having enormous power over Cape Cod residents. Their official "Communications Policy for Cape Cod Commission Members" alone, provides more than ample evidence to substantiate this fact.

The various activities of the Cape Cod Commission inefficiently duplicate the functions of existing federal and state agencies, as well as local town departments, boards and committees like the planning board, building department, zoning board of appeals, licensing authority, water quality committee, economic development commission, conservation commission, and historic commission, to name but a few.

People should support this petition because it will help bring appropriate public attention to the problems caused by the Cape Cod Commission, and may eventually help to solve the respective issues that have been previously outlined.