Freeholders: Let voters rule on preservation
17/05/07 12:45 Filed in: Keep It Green
Campaign
Burlington County
Times
By: JOHN REITMEYER (Thu, May/17/2007)
MOUNT HOLLY — The Board of Freeholders is trying to pressure the state Legislature as it decides the fate of an expiring land-preservation fund that has pumped more than $66 million into Burlington County since 1999.
The freeholders discussed drafting a resolution during a public conference meeting yesterday that would urge the Legislature to let voters decide whether state sales tax revenue should be used to renew the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund.
The resolution is scheduled to be considered by the board during its public meeting next week. In the meantime, the board is sending a letter to legislators in support of a public referendum on the trust fund.
By: JOHN REITMEYER (Thu, May/17/2007)
MOUNT HOLLY — The Board of Freeholders is trying to pressure the state Legislature as it decides the fate of an expiring land-preservation fund that has pumped more than $66 million into Burlington County since 1999.
The freeholders discussed drafting a resolution during a public conference meeting yesterday that would urge the Legislature to let voters decide whether state sales tax revenue should be used to renew the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund.
The resolution is scheduled to be considered by the board during its public meeting next week. In the meantime, the board is sending a letter to legislators in support of a public referendum on the trust fund.
The fund is a dedicated
source of revenue that can be used only for farmland,
open-space and historic-site preservation. The fund,
started under Gov. Christie Whitman, has generated
nearly $2 billion since 1999 and has helped preserve
more than 300,000 acres statewide.
More than $66 million from the fund has been tapped by the freeholders as matching money for land-preservation projects in Burlington County.
The fund, however, is set to expire and nearly all of the money in it has been earmarked for specific projects or is committed to paying off debt.
A bill in the Legislature the freeholders support would authorize placing a question on the November ballot asking voters whether $175 million in annual sales tax revenue should be used to keep the trust fund viable.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine is reportedly against the legislation because it involves issuing bonds to stretch tax revenue, an approach the governor does not favor.
Corzine has instead suggested the fund could be supported by revenue generated by leasing or selling state assets such as toll roads and the lottery system, proposals the Legislature seems reluctant to consider.
The freeholders, who have their own, county-level dedicated tax for land preservation, believe a ballot question on reauthorizing the state fund would pass a statewide referendum.
They are also afraid any delay at the state level will hurt their own preservation goals.
“We need that funding from the state,” Freeholder William Haines Jr. said. “It's important that they come up with a funding source now.”
The bill supported by the freeholders has passed the Assembly Environment Committee and is set to be considered by the Assembly Appropriation Committee as early as today.
E-Mail: JOHN REITMEYER
More than $66 million from the fund has been tapped by the freeholders as matching money for land-preservation projects in Burlington County.
The fund, however, is set to expire and nearly all of the money in it has been earmarked for specific projects or is committed to paying off debt.
A bill in the Legislature the freeholders support would authorize placing a question on the November ballot asking voters whether $175 million in annual sales tax revenue should be used to keep the trust fund viable.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine is reportedly against the legislation because it involves issuing bonds to stretch tax revenue, an approach the governor does not favor.
Corzine has instead suggested the fund could be supported by revenue generated by leasing or selling state assets such as toll roads and the lottery system, proposals the Legislature seems reluctant to consider.
The freeholders, who have their own, county-level dedicated tax for land preservation, believe a ballot question on reauthorizing the state fund would pass a statewide referendum.
They are also afraid any delay at the state level will hurt their own preservation goals.
“We need that funding from the state,” Freeholder William Haines Jr. said. “It's important that they come up with a funding source now.”
The bill supported by the freeholders has passed the Assembly Environment Committee and is set to be considered by the Assembly Appropriation Committee as early as today.
E-Mail: JOHN REITMEYER
