Today the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resource committee released A4477 (McKeon/Pinkin): Establishes funding allocations for constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues for State’s open space, farmland, and historic preservation programs for Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter. Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:

“We oppose this legislation because we believe this bill will unfairly hurt urban areas and parks. It would shift money from suburban to rural areas and take money that is supposed to go towards fixing our parks and for stewardship. This money is supposed to go to fix those parks, however we are very concerned that instead of putting that money where it should be, 10% is going to nonprofits and stewardship in wealthy suburban areas. We are concerned that the stewardship language in the bill could mean logging or planting butterfly bushes. Instead funds should go towards restoration in urban areas for fixing their parks and sensitive ecosystems like wetlands. Fast growing places like Jersey City and New Brunswick need more funding for parks and restoration in those areas.

“We need to make sure there is capital set aside for state parks, parks in urban areas and improvements. We would like to see 40% set aside for urban counties to make sure they get their fair share. In the bill, we are concerned that the definition of stewardship allows for logging and other things. Stewardship money should be going towards wetlands restoration and stream corridors.

“For years state parks and parks in urban areas have been significantly underfunded. We wanted the new money to fix that problem. We need these funds because there are massive backlogs and parks are falling apart without improvements for years. Voters have dedicated monies for capital repairs and improvements, yet we have a $250 million backlog in emergency parks capital repairs. By 2015 it was supposed to be $30 million a year. Instead, we’re only seeing $9 million a year. Over the last decade the parks budget is down 40%, despite us adding 40% more open space.”