Vote for Open Space this Election Day Nov 4th
Vote Yes on Public Question 2 to Provide for Preservation Efforts in New Jersey!
Please email this message onto family and friends. We need everyone who can vote to vote for Public Question #2 on Tuesday, November 4, 2014.
On November 4, New Jersey voters have the opportunity to dedicate state funds to ensure the future of parks, open spaces, farmlands and historic treasures. All funds from the statewide bond measure that voters approved in 2009 are allocated, and nothing remains to provide for future preservation efforts. Public Question 2 will ensure dedicated long-term funding for the now-depleted Green Acres, Blue Acres, farmland and historic preservation programs.
By dedicating a percentage of existing Corporate Business Tax revenues, Public Question 2 would ensure reliable long-term funding for critical preservation efforts to continue. The state currently dedicates 4% of the money collected from the Corporate Business Tax to help pay for some environmental programs, and Public Question 2 changes the way some of those programs are funded and raises the amount from 4% to 6% beginning in July 2019. Public Question 2, Green Acres, Blue Acres and farmland and historic preservation programs will receive approximately $71 million annually for the first five years and then $117 million annually thereafter. Public Question 2 only changes the dedication of existing tax dollars and does not increase taxes.
Again, there is no state funding left for preservation programs in New Jersey, but tremendous needs remain. According to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, more than 650,000 acres still need to be preserved to protect water and natural resources and to provide recreational opportunities to a growing population. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture reports that 350,000 acres of additional farmland must be preserved to maintain a viable agriculture industry.
This November 4th, please ensure New Jersey continues its preservation legacy by voting YES on Public Question 2!
To learn more or volunteer, visit njkeepitgreen.org.
4 comments:
It is my understanding that funds for water protection and chemical cleanups will be used for other purposes and that a 30 year sunset clause has been removed from the bill. Voting yes may give the pols more access to our $ then we want them to have.
From some of the commentary that has appeared in the news there have been views that a referendum approving a bond issue to pay for "open space" purchases would be more advisable. Then the people who will benefit will also help pay for these purchases over time !
After the nonsense in Monmouth County this past year and tat Lucas deal, maybe we should think twice about the politics involved in these proposals !
Yes, I have heard that the money here is a diversion of tax revenue already being raised for another purpose, and so there will be less for that original purpose, where I have read that some of the money is now earmarked for water clean-up. Tough call. Good points made by other commenters. Perhaps there is a better approach, but delaying the creation of funding for land acquisition may have negative consequences, especially when you consider that land prices are lower now.
Land prices are lower now and so are the costs of bonds. Giving politicians a lifetime guarantee to a specific tax with a constitutional amendment could be trouble. A thirty year limit would have made this ammendment a lot easier to vote for.
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