The Issue
In November 2014, the majority of New Jersey voters approved a ballot measure that will ensure dedicated state funds are available to protect New Jersey's clean drinking water, open spaces—including parks and forested trail lands—farmland, and historic sites. With this ballot measure approved, a small percentage of existing state revenues, without tax increases, will be used to replenish the now-depleted Green Acres, Blue Acres, farmland and historic preservation programs, and continue funding to improve water quality.
Why we need to ensure these funds go to open space protection
Although this open space funding is constitutionally dedicated to be spent on conservation-related issues, leaders in the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly have introduced an implementation bill that would allocate the money among various open space programs. Bill S969/A780 is sponsored by Senators Smith and Bateman, and Assembly members Andrzejczak, McKeon, Spencer, Pintor Marin, Dancer, Vainieri Huttle, and Land, respectively. The implementation bill is critical to getting vital and necessary funds flowing to successful programs that preserve lands and create parks.
The first version of the implementation bill was passed by both the New Jersey Senate and Assembly, then pocket-vetoed by Governor Chris Christie.
As Bill S969, the open space funding was again approved with strong bipartisan support by the Senate on March 14. Known as Bill A780, the measure was then passed in the Assembly on April 7. Unfortunately, Governor Chris Christie neglected the will of voters and conditionally vetoed the open space legislation on May 23.
Since voters approved the ballot measure in November 2014, the Trail Conference has been working to ensure those funds reach the programs that protect and preserve open space. You can read a first-person account of the lobbying efforts of Trail Conference staff and volunteers on our blog.
The Trail Conference is working to pass the implementation bill
As a member of NJ Keep It Green—the state's largest coalition of conservation and historic preservation organizations—the Trail Conference has been a central part of the efforts to identify and secure a long-term, dedicated source of funding for open space programs. An important part of our mission is acquiring public lands to improve our recreational trail systems. Already this year, we have three purchase agreements, and Green Acres funds are essential for these acquisitions. We continue to work with our partners in Keep It Green to ensure that the funding voters approved in 2014 is allocated in the way they intended.
How you can get involved
We will continue to work with our partners in the NJ Keep It Green coalition to investigate all further options to ensure these constitutionally-dedicated funds reach the programs for which they are intended.
Join us as we work with Keep It Green to get Governor Christie to sign the Bill into law. We’re going to need a lot of support to show the Governor that New Jerseyans are serious about preserving open space. Until the legislation is signed into law, none of the voter-approved money will be invested in critically important preservation work.
We will continue to work on this critical issue until the funding, as authorized by voters, is allocated to the appropriate programs and we hope you will lend us your support!
THANK YOU!
7/1/16: Governor Christie signed S2456, which provides the authorization necessary to begin funding Open Space, Farmland, and Historic Preservation projects consistent with the 2014 constitutional amendment!
5/23/16: Governor Chris Christie has conditionally vetoed S969/A780, the Preserve New Jersey Act.
4/8/2016: The Assembly Appropriations Committee approved A780 on Monday, April 4, which moved the Bill to the full Assembly for a vote on April 7—and we’ve just received word that A780 was approved late last night with strong, bipartisan support! Now the Bill goes to Governor Christie for his signature.
3/31/2016: Implementation Bill A780/S969 is up for a vote in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Monday, April 4. With your continued support, there is a good chance it will be posted for a full Assembly vote on Thursday, and could be in front of the Governor by the end of next week.
3/16/2016: Advocacy, Lobbying, and a Call to Action in New Jersey
1/12/2016: NJ Assembly Approves Open Space Implementation Bill
1/11/2016: Tell the NJ Assembly to Support Open Space Protection
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Christie vetoes Preserve NJ Act
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