"Green Acres"! A Debt We Can't Afford.
By Richard J. LaRossa | October 28th, 2009 - 8:19pmNo More Debt!!!!!!
On November 3rd, we are going to be asked to borrow another $400 million to fund the state’s Green Acres program. Regardless as to its history, this ballot initiative needs to go down to defeat.
The program was created in 1961 – during a building boom that saw 20 percent growth in New Jersey – to preserve forests, meadows, and farms. In the 48 years since, voters have gone to the polls a dozen times to approve borrowing more than $2 billion for this purpose. Today we don’t have a building boom. Growth is down to what it was during the Great Depression.
The folks who came up with the original idea saw the importance of preserving as much of our natural world as possible, to provide an aesthetically beautiful and environmentally healthy state for our children and for future generations. But since its inception, something has gone seriously wrong with how the money is spent.
A large chunk of the money is being diverted to pay for municipal recreation projects that are anything but “green”. In Hudson County, one of the last pieces of green open space is being turned into a parking lot – with “Green” Acres money. In Burlington County, they are paving over far fields with artificial turf. It’s no wonder that our state’s top environmental groups have expressed concerns about the program.
In 2007, voters were asked to borrow $200 million for open space. Trenton sold the plan based on images of sun filtering through tree tops. So how did millions of this money end up being spent on asphalt for parking lots and artificial turf?
In March, a report detailing how the money was being spent was issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection. Click here Read it and you will find that more than a third of the money spent was earmarked for local recreation projects. And it’s written so that this money is heavily aimed towards urban areas. Suburban and rural communities are capped at the amount of money they can even ask for – with cities getting three dollars for every dollar available for rural and suburban communities.
Cities like Newark, Camden, and Hoboken gobbled up millions in borrowed money to fund construction projects for non-essentials like handball courts, snack bars, skateboard parks, barbecue grills, and water fountains. In contrast, counties like Sussex and Hunterdon – two of the most rural and greenest counties in New Jersey – didn’t get any of this money.
This being New Jersey, it wasn’t long before party bosses like Joe Ferriero and Dennis Oury figured out a way to make money out of the Green Acres program. Oury recently pleaded guilty in federal court to setting-up a shadow business with Ferriero that directed Green Acres grants to a municipality in return for a six-figure “fee” paid for by tax dollars. Ferriero was convicted in federal court. What started out as a honest program designed to do good, has ended up a means for politicians to dole out money to their favorite contractors and consultants.
There’s a cost to borrowing another $400 million.
New Jersey is flat busted: $45 billion in debt and faces an $8 billion budget shortfall for next year.
There are some political leaders who actually recognize this: Mike Doherty, Steve Oroho, Jerry Cardinale, Kevin O’Toole, Phil Haines, Jennifer Beck, Joe Pennacchio, Alison McHose, Gary Chiusano, Rick Merkt, Michael Patrick Carroll, Vince Polistino, John Amodeo, Dave Russo, and John DiMaio. Others, like Tom Kean Jr. and John McKeon, haven’t figured it out.
Last week, the State Treasurer reported that New Jersey had fallen behind revenue projections another $190 million in just three months. He advised the Legislature that the Governor is looking for ways to make cuts to find the money.
What happens if we don’t have the money pay back this new debt? Will state cuts mean higher property taxes? They most likely will.
So how can we – in a midst of the worst recession since the Great Depression – justify going further into debt, just so we can throw money at nonessential recreation projects?
The politicians, consultants, and contractors will tell you that it’s necessary to keep New Jersey “green”. But there’s nothing “green” about artificial turf except the color and asphalt is black, the color of dead foilage.
Green Acres programs are terrific in their original intent. However, the reality is that we are giving the government and they are misusing it. This is one time we can control the money the government gets. This time, Ballot Question One – the Green Acres bond, should be defeated. The program is spending money on the wrong things at the wrong time with virtually no accountability and different standards for different parts of the state. Bottom line, we just can’t afford to borrow more. Vote no on Question 1.
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Now Dick...
You forgot to mention Chris Christie opposes the bond act too. Can't bring yourself to say he's one of the leaders who share your belief on this one? Come on now... you can do it... repeat after me... "Chris Christie agrees with this fiscally conservative view." I haven't checked... but when you had the chance to be a leader, did you vote for open space bonds just like you voted for the pension bonds just before you got your pension-padding job with Whitman? Just wondering. Inquiring minds would like to know. Tell us, oh great conservative.
SO MISLEADING! I'm voting Yes
Green Acres is one of NJ's very best and high-return investments. It pays us back with clean water (far cheaper than filtering it after it's dirty), access to natural areas (Yes Dick, 100,000s of them), recreation fields and facilities (part of the stated purpose of Green Acres!). It's a highly transparent program that has gone into EVERY County--See for yourself on the Green Acres website, click "Open Space Database" and look it up by county or town!
and roughly HALF the dollars go to urban, half rural -- across the continuum of suburban. In dense urban areas, artificial turf is needed so that scarce, heavily used fields aren't churned to mud, which would keep kids home instead. Urban kids need access to open spaces and recreation, for health and well being (which also saves us all money).
And if you vote against Green Acres, you also are voting against the roughly NJ Farmland Preservation Program! so if you're rural, you'd be shooting yourself in the foot.
Fiscal conservatives, taxpayers should vote YES for one of our best investments that pays us with high returns
LaRossa -- Grandstanding Squirrel...
This position on bonds is new for LaRossa... and insanely hyocritical. When LaRossa was senator he cosponsored a bill with Wayne Bryant (D-Jail) to create a State Authority with bonding powers (without voter approval) and the power of eminent domain to take private property and flip it to big money developers. He also sponsored a $200 million affordable housing bond act with McGreevey. He also sponsored legislation shortening the vesting period for public employee pensions and reducing state bureaucrat contributions to their pensions. He voted for pension bonds, authored anti-privatization efforts with democrats from Hudson County, and even sponsored a bill to prevent banks from penalizing late mortgage payments. Hahahahahahahaha! What a self-serving, nut job. Conservative? Hardly. Grandstanding squirrel? You betcha.
Stop using artificial turf!
It’s green in color only and the run-off from the ground-up tires used to make it softer pollutes our water. The CDC says so. Try drinking some water that’s been sitting in an old tire if you want the effect.
It’s cool that LaRossa is with Christie, Lonegan, Guadagno, DeCroce, Webber, and Kyrillos on this. Unity is a beautiful thing. Kean Jr. should try it.
Rick, get back to work
and stop causing trouble. We want unity here -- not your b.s. on LaRossa. Whatever he did back then he did because you lobbied him to do it for Whitman.
Sorry... I am not Rick...
And Rick is on vacation volunteering his time for candidates in district 1 today... you know, where real Republicans should be trying to help take back the State from corrupt liberal democrats. Lonegan (who endorsed Christie) is there too working for Republicans. And for the record, I have never uttered anything bad about any Republican... accept LaRossa who is a grandstanding liberal masquerading as a conservative. I'll stop busting his chops when he stops acting like a kooky squirrel and pretending to be a spokesman for conservatives and taking potshots at Republicans far more conservative than he ever was. By the way... has LaRossa said he will vote for Christie? Just wondering.
Sure you are
But it's cool you are down there in district 1 working for those guys. A real shame you stuck it to district 3 like you did. They could have tied up some of the Dems’ money going to district 1. You talked them down and they are Republicans. Yeah, a lot of people get talked down with R next to their name in that office of yours. Did you vote for Schundler? Or do just call his supporters…
"It’s cool that LaRossa is
"It’s cool that LaRossa is with Christie, Lonegan, Guadagno, DeCroce, Webber, and Kyrillos on this. Unity is a beautiful thing."
It's great when the inmates get together to run the asylum.
http://christiegonewild.blogspot.com/
"LaRossa who is a
"LaRossa who is a grandstanding liberal masquerading as a conservative."
LaRossa is a grandstanding loser masquerading
as a know-it-all loser.
He should do everybody a favor, including himself, and go back to picking balls for senior citizens at the State Lottery Commission.
http://christiegonewild.blogspot.com/
Ehhh...
it's useless trying to convince you I am not Rick Wright so I will stop trying. It's almost as useless as trying to get you to realize LaRossa is a grandstanding liberal kook. I love the way digitup claims Rick is incompetent but then attribute all sorts of magical powers to him (the ability force LaRossa to vote for liberal garbage, the ability to single handedly destroy candidates in district 3... etc.) First Rick is ineffective... then Rick has magical powers and total control... then laRossa is conservative... then everything LaRossa voted (pro-eminent domain, pro-borrowing without voter approval, pro-union, anti-privatization is liberal basura)... I give up. You win. I'll stop bashing liberal LaRossa now until the next time he starts throwing around his hate about other republicans... then I'll pick right up where I left off and simply list another round of his uber liberal voting record that he conveniently forgets and thinks everyone else forgot about too.
Fano
You are so lame.
Stupid
You exaggerate the way people do when they are caught in lies. You know what you pulled in district 3. You could have used at least one of those guys to siphon away Dem money from district 1 and it didn’t happen because your paid guy down there had a hate on for the Republicans who won the primary.
Hey, is your paid guy down there still working for Dems up north? You know, the pisser and his team.
You represented the former Governor and her left-of-center agenda. You got paid well for it. That’s cool, everyone needs to work, but don’t attack LaRossa with the file you put together back when you worked for her. It’s the file you used to try to beat him into line to vote for her crap. You were one of Mzzzzz Whitman’s hatchet men, pushing her liberal agenda.
Hey, I asked you a question before. Did you vote for Schundler? Do you still call his supporters by that “german” name?
Green Acres Funding Wasted in North Bergen NJ
watch this video produced by www.newjerseyfordummies.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1e3yrAcW0
Green Acres Funding Wasted in Brigantine, New Jersey
Watch this video produced by www.newjerseyfordummies.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwU9Ol86kjM
Stop Higher Taxes. Vote No On Question One.
Green Acres Funding Wasted in Hoboken, New Jersey
watch this video produced by www.newjerseyfordummies.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9iz_tVSGdY
Answer for digitup
1) I voted for Schundler and volunteered to help him as our party's candidate.
2) I'm not Rick Wright.
3) I love you digitup even if you are paranoid and think I am the powerful and scary Rick Wright.
4) It took me five minutes on the Legislature's web site to find LaRossa's abysmal, LIBERAL AGENDA.
5) Why are you so enfatuated with Rick Wright and frustrated with him?
6) I still don't get this district 3 thing you are talking about? Are you refrring to Shaftan who works for Democrats like Sacco? Shocking that you would take potshots at him too... another Republican you can hate.
Sure you did.
While calling him that “german” name.
Yeah, I believe you.
Like you just happen to know when Rick Wright takes a vacation day and where he happens to be on that vacation day.
You’re the one who brags about the file he has on LaRossa. Why take the time to look it up?
The district 3 hit you did on your own candidate down there. It was covered on PolitickerNJ real well. Check your payroll. Your guy has worked with Shaftan but mainly he works for you, when he’s not working for Democrats or running for office.
You are Stupid.
LaRossa writes something that isn’t hitting Christie and you go and attack him for NOT mentioning Christie’s name. Idiot.
Maybe it would have been better for LaRossa to write about the Star-Ledger editorial on the human trafficking conviction of Akouavi Kpade Afolabi? Maybe better if he compared this conviction with another big human trafficking case? Fool.
Shut up. Just shut up and cool it.
You and LaRossa
Go at it like two cats in a bag. It doesn't help elect Republicans.
Stupid picked today to attack Shaftan.
Republican Christopher Christie has a seven point lead, 43%-35%, over Gov. Jon Corzine among likely voters, with 8% for independent Christopher Daggett, according to a poll conducted by Neighborhood Research, a survey firm run by conservative strategist Rick Shaftan.
Corzine has upside-down favorables of 26%-48%, while Christie is at 34%-25% and Daggett at 11%-12%.
Among voters who say they will definitely vote, Christie leads 44%-35%-8%. Among definite voters, Corzine has an upside-down 26%-50% favorable rating; Christie is at 36%-26%, and Daggett is at 11%-12%.
Shafton is a Proven Idiot!
Anyone who thinks a Shaftan poll is accurate is a bigger idiot than Shafton is. And that is saying a lot.
Remember this is the same guy who had Lonegan winning by 8 points and then went on to see Lonegan lose by double digits.
He is self serving weasel, just like Mr. Wright and his minions. Apparently they have nothing better to do than to look up records of people who are not candidates rather than doing any kind of opposition research against their own candidates opponents. That truly shows how misguided he really is.
Instead of wasting time trashing LaRossa, who has not said a single bad word about Christie except to critizie an abysmal campaign, wouldn't your time be better spent working FOR candidates rather than getting yourself into such a lather?
Rick and Rick. The idiot brothers, twins separated at birth.
Ehhh... not attacking shaftan Digitup...
I thought you were bashing him for working for dems... I honest to God have no idea who you are talking about as far as a consultant who also works for dems. Oh... and LaRossa is crazy liberal -- fiscal liberal, social nut. OK. Bye now... I have to go door to door for republican candidates in district 1. See you there? Nahhhhh... you'll be very busy being telling yourself LaRossa is conservative and republican leaders are bad people. Love ya Digitup... have a beutiful and glorious day. :-)
You say you're not Rick
But you took a vacation day to be with Rick, no, Rick took the vacation day to be in district one, where you are going door-to-door, or is it Rick who is going door-to-door???
Then you forget the four-letter word who works for you. You do need a vacation.
Ehhh... who is this four letter person?
I have no idea wwo you are talking about and no idea who works for dems... enlighten us, oh wise defender of LaRossa. And I am still not Rick, though he is all powerful.
Oh yeah...
and this morning I went door to door for Christie. I wonder if LaRossa did or if he was busy grousing about some republican he deems to be not not pure enough.
Ask Duffy
Sure you did, you took vacation time to go down and save district one. That's cool. You made a big investment in him. Many, many tens of thousands of dollars last year that could have been used this year in places like district one.
Your payoff for your time and ARV's money will be a job in the administration. Then you can go back to beating up legislators to get them to vote for bad stuff, like you did LaRossa back when you worked for Whitman.
Knock-on dude!
But I am still not Rick...
Have a nice day digit... love you.
Sure
You just keep track of when he takes vacation days, where he is on those days, and are there yourself.
But I'm not...
BY the way, Alex DeCroce and Rick will be working in District 1 again today helping to win back some republican assembly seats. Will he see you there? You are welcome to go if you want to help Republicans win some seats. Everyone is welcome to go ... even Dick LaRossa. I can't go today... Dr. appointment for this aging senior, Digitup. Wish me well. Love you digitup... you are one of God's special creatures. Have a glorious day.
Nice try
Why all the time in district one? Don’t tell me it’s down to district one? That should have been wrapped up long ago. You and Alex should be in district three (that’s right, you attacked the Republican in three), or four (what’s up there?), or fourteen (??), or thirty-six (???). You want a medal or something?
Can I have a medal please?
OK... done with my Dr. appt. and now its off for some work to get Republicans winning. Which district are you in and what are you doing today? BTW, if I am really Rick Wright, why would you want me to go to any district to help... you think Rick is an idiot right? Don't forget to have a beautiful, glorious day Didgitup... luv ya. Hugs and kisses. Oh... and I am not Rick Wright. Did I ever tell you that?
Don't be so hard on yourself
You are only an idiot when you allow your emotions to get the better of you. Stop making trouble.