Letters to the Editor

Monday, October 22, 2007

Keep Clifton and New Jersey green

Did you know that New Jersey loses more than 40 acres of open space to development every day (even with the current preservation efforts)? This is a very scary statistic. At this rate, New Jersey is projected to reach full development within 30 years.

You can help by voting "yes" on Nov. 6 to two important public questions. The first is state Public Question 3 to approve the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007. Passage of this bond act will not raise your property taxes. It will allow the state to provide $200 million dollars in bonds of which $109 million will be allocated to the Green Acres Program for open space preservation and park development, $73 million for farmland preservation, $12 million for the Blue Acres Program for the acquisition in flood areas of the Passaic, Raritan and Delaware rivers, and $6 million for historic preservation.

The second way you can help is by voting "yes" to the municipal City of Clifton Public Question on open space. Passage of this question will allow Clifton to create a trust fund for the acquisition, development and maintenance of lands for recreation, conservation, farmland and historic preservation. This money will be funded by a slight property tax, three-quarters of one cent per $100 of assessed property valuation.

For example, a Clifton property assessed at $176,100 would pay $13.21 per year or $3.30 dollars per quarter. In my case, I would pay $232.85 per year. However, property owners whose taxes are frozen would not pay any additional taxes. If Clifton passes this question, this money will be leveraged with matching money from the county and state open space programs.

I would like to remind voters that the City Council voted unanimously to include this question on the ballot. We are always saying that Clifton does not get its fair share of county and state funding. This would allow us to get our fair share.

Look around Clifton. Basketball courts in our recreation areas and parks need repair across the city. I hear parents talking about why Clifton doesn't have lights on its ball fields. There is talk of needing a new recreation center. There is talk of the need for artificial turf for fields. We hear how the Hamilton House is in need of repair. There are other historic houses that are up for sale, which could be preserved with these funds. Wouldn't it be nice to build a park rather than a strip mall?

Please vote "yes" to the State Public Question No. 3 and "yes" to Municipal City of Clifton Open Space Question on Nov. 6. Remember, open space does not belong to any of us; we are mere caretakers of this land for future generations of Clifton and New Jersey residents.

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