The state’s money troubles could have a severe impact on one of its most popular programs, according to a story today in The Star-Ledger.
The Garden State Preservation Trust, which finances the preservation of New Jersey’s open space and historic sites, yesterday detailed its recommendations for doling out $91 million in farmland preservation money for projects all over the state.
The allocations leave $120 million in the fund — $109 million for open space preservation and parkland development and $11 million for historic site preservation. When that money is given out by the end of this year, the trust will be out of money.
The state is looking to put a funding question on the 2009 ballot, but that will come too late to provide money for next year.
Sean Darcy, a spokesman for Gov. Jon Corzine, said the governor has stressed the need to protect open space throughout New Jersey. Corzine said on June 30 he expects to wait until fall before launching an effort to find more funding for the trust and indicated he wants to look at open space funding as part of the larger issue of funding public works and transportation projects and reducing state debt.
Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), chairman of the upper house’s Environment Committee, said a poll taken by environmental activists in May and June showed more than 60 percent of potential voters support funding open space, either through an $800 million bond issue, a 40 cents per 1,000 gallons of water user fee to raise $150 million annually, or by dedicating sales tax revenue. Smith said it would take a special session of the Legislature to get either proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot.
“The sad part is that if we wait until 2009 for a ballot question the program will have come to a halt,” Smith said. “That would be a shame because now is the time to be buying open space. The state could really get land at a bargain right now.”
And, as anyone who lives in Central Jersey knows, open space and farmland preservation are among the few avenues we have to control sprawl and limit growth.
On a side note, the governor continues to link the fund to transportation projects and debt, meaning he is likely to put another version of the Turnpike plan on the table. That would be a mistake that could imperil both open space and infrastructure programs.
Let’s just be honest with everyone and raise the money openly. One way or another, we’re going to have to pay.
Hank Kalet 