Smith - Water Tax Necessary To Guarantee Open Space Preservation Funds

SMITH - WATER TAX NECESSARY TO GUARANTEE OPEN SPACE PRESERVATION FUNDS

TRENTON – Senator Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, the Chair of the Senate Environment Committee and a sponsor of legislation to constitutionally dedicate water tax revenues to fund open space and farmland preservation, issued the following statement regarding the Committee’s hearing on his measure today:

“Today’s hearing was the first step in ensuring permanent funding for vital open space and farmland preservation projects in the State of New Jersey. We heard important testimony regarding historic preservation which we will consider and hopefully vote on the bill on May 19.“The fact of the matter is that New Jersey’s preservation programs are flat broke. Last year, voters approved stop-gap funding to keep the programs afloat through the upcoming budget year, but without additional revenue, we will not be able to continue these programs past June of next year.

“Since the inception of the Green Acres and farmland preservation programs, the State has taken this approach of providing a large pot of funding once the programs are in crisis, only to let the coffers run dry a few years later. Stop-gap payments and emergency funding are not the way to run our open space preservation programs. We need consistent, dedicated funding to allow these programs to meet their mission of protecting land for overdevelopment and sprawl and preserving our State’s agricultural heritage.

“I understand that any talk of taxes has necessary political ramifications. New Jersey’s residents pay more for State services here than anywhere else in the country. However, unchecked development and rampant sprawl will add far more to the tax burden of individual State residents than a minimal water user fee ever could.

“Additionally, under our proposal, final approval of any dedicated funding must come from the voters themselves. New Jersey’s voters have a history of stepping up at the ballot box for the environment. We owe it to the State’s electorate to give them a chance to weigh in on this important funding measure.

“We will continue to invite stakeholders to the table, and seek the best way to fund open space preservation while impacting the taxpayers of New Jersey the least. However, we should not be deluded to think that there’s an infinite pot of funding available at the end of the rainbow to cover all of our preservation needs. We need a better way to fund our preservation obligations, and a water tax offers one alternative to the failed fund-and-run approach of the past.”

JASON BUTKOWSKI can be reached via email at JButkowski@njleg.org.

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