Date : Fri, 29 May 2015 17:08:14 -0400
For Immediate Release
May 29, 2015
Contact: Jeff Tittel, Director, New Jersey Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Christie Runs Out of Excuses on Holding Open Space Funding
Funding for open space has been on hold for six months, and Governor Christie has finally filed a direct appointment for a new member of the Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT). The state of New Jersey has not been buying open space because the GSPT has failed of to meet. They have not met for months and cancelled the last two meetings in April and May. Now that Laura Overdeck (Short Hills/Essex) has been appointed the only reason the GSPT would not meet is to continue to hold the money up for other programs like filling the state budget. Since the Trust releases funds to the Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres program to buy open space, the failure to meet has stopped the flow of money. There is at least $100 million sitting in limbo right now and it is impacting more than 50 open space projects around the state.
“Open space money has been held up for six months. Now that someone has been appointed to the GSPT, there is no reason for the Trust not to meet and release those funds for open space. If they do not meet now, it is clear that they are trying to hold the open space money up to plug budget holes. Last fall, voters approved the dedication of funding for open space and there is also money left over from previous open space bond acts. The voters did not support this money to be used to go to other programs. It’s supposed to be used for open space,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club
Many of these projects that are on hold are getting money from local, county, state and federal programs. The Green Acres program matches many of these programs. However, even though they have 70-80 percent of money they need they cannot go forward without the Green Acres money. As an example, DEP would like to buy the property where Six Flags has proposed to clear-cut 19,000 trees for solar farm, but without the money being released there is no money to buy the property. The state is buying out some flood-prone properties with Blue Acre funding from the federal government.
“The failure to have GSPT meet has stopped the flow of money to open space programs. We may end up losing many of these properties to developers. We also might end up buying these properties later at a much higher cost. These are the consequences when you don’t have enough money to spend and this has happened in the past,” said Jeff Tittel. “Without open space funding, the bulldozers win.”
The Garden State Preservation Trust not meeting is part of a pattern of the state of New Jersey not having boards meet. Tidelands Resource Council, Water Quality Management Institute, State Planning Commission, and Department of Community and Housing Affairs (COHA). This is an on-going pattern of boards not meeting and the Christie Administration’s failure to appoint people, which undermine the function of government. In this case, there means there is no money to buy open space.
“By them not meeting, the Treasurer gets to keep the money and the bank accounts, which is a budgetary gimmick to make it look like the state has more money than it actually has. The Treasurer should not hold open space money ransom. The money needs to be spent on what it is supposed to purchase: open space. The money is supposed to be for people of New Jersey so we can protect and preserve open space for future generations,” said Tittel. “Green Acres wants to buy the Six Flags solar farm, but there is no money to because GSPT has not met.”
Governor Christie’s proposal for open space is included in his budget. The Governor is proposing in his budget to take $19.5 million from CBT revenues to fund staff and operation in the Division of Parks and Forestry, which would give less money for open space, about $10 million. It will also use $7 million from previous Bond Acts to fund staff at agencies like Green Acres and the SADC. His plan designates even less money into open space acquisition.
“From 1996 through 2008, the state of New Jersey was spending $225 million per year. Now we are lucky to spend $50 million. Until money is released, we will be spending nothing. This hurts the environment, communities, and economy,” said Jeff Tittel. “This administration is taking a lot of the money for parks, staff, further cutting open space preservation.”
The Governor’s plan is to take money from Corporate Business Tax dedication and not use that money for open space, build or fix parks and instead fund staff. The voters did not support this money to be used to fund staff.
“Why is the Governor doing this? The Tea Party and the anti- Agenda 21 crowd believe open space funding is part of a weird U.N. conspiracy. Is it the Governor holding this open space hostage for his national political ambitions? Is that why the GSPT is not meeting and the money is being held?” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “The most successful program in state history has basically been ended by this Administration until the GSPT meets and the money is released.”
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Jamie Zaccaria Administrative Assistant New Jersey Sierra Club office: (609) 656-7612 https://www.facebook.com/NJSierraClub