Open Space Funding Hurts Urban Areas, State Parks

Gov. Murphy today signed into law A4477(McKeon)/S2920 (Smith) allocating constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax (CBT) revenues for Fiscal Year 2020 and thereafter. The law also makes provisions to New Jersey’s open space and farmland preservation programs.

“The new law for open space money takes funding away from urban areas and state parks, and sends it to wealthy exurban areas. This reinforces the funding inequities that continue to damage lower-income and minority communities. Urban areas have a real shortage of open space and parks that has a significant health impact in those communities. The lack of parks also discourages redevelopment and hurts economic growth. This funding law will continue to make those disparities worse,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Our urban areas are being shortchanged. People in Camden shouldn’t have to go to Pennsauken just to go to a park, or drive from Perth Amboy to Spruce Run to swim when parks are closing at 10 a.m. because they’re full. We have to make sure we have parks and open spaces for all people to enjoy, not just in wealthy areas.”

New Jersey’s parks, especially those in urban areas, have been suffering for years from declining funding and repairs left undone. Large backlogs in capital repairs have barely been dented, and the state’s parks budget continues to drop, adding to the burdens. The bill’s language leaves stewardship funding too open to interpretation that could encompass needless or damaging projects.

“The formula does not include enough money for capital set asides for state parks and parks in urban areas. Many of these parks desperately need repairs and improvements that have been delayed for years. We have a $250 million backlog in emergency parks capital repairs, and $450 million in needed upgrades in our parks. By 2015 it was supposed to be $30 million a year. That money has been diverted for open space instead. We’re going to see a lot less, in the $15-22 million range. Over the last decade the parks budget is down 40%, despite us adding 40% more open space,” said Tittel.

Parks and open spaces in many of the state’s suburban and rural areas are prevalent while urban areas continue to suffer. Funding inequities continue to enhance those disparities in green spaces. Residents in many lower-income and minority communities must travel significant differences just to go to a park or find an open swimming area.

“The failure to fund state parks has created a shortage of places for people to swim and recreate. New Jersey hasn’t opened a new swimming area since 1981 in Wawayanda. There are just 8 public swimming areas in all of North and Central New Jersey. One of those, in Swartswood Lake State Park, was recently closed because of a Harmful Algal Bloom. The Bull’s Island campground was closed 5 years ago because of damage and has not reopened. On summer weekends, many state parks have to close by 10 a.m.  because they fill up so fast,” said Tittel. “Studies show urban areas have only 20-25% of the recommended open space and parks, while some rural areas have 150%. That disparity cannot be allowed to continue.”

Gov. Christie advocated for making parks more self-sufficient through damaging privatization schemes that could open our parks to development. Gov. Murphy and the legislature have continued exploring commercialization possibilities in an attempt to make up for the ongoing shortage of parks funding.

“The parks aren’t getting money, so the governor and legislature keep considering privatization schemes to fill the funding gap. Gov. Christie made a push for private development projects in public parks to raise revenue, and Gov. Murphy has continued exploring commercialization possibilities. We don’t want a luxury marina, or hotel or golf course in Liberty State Park. We fought to stop a plan for food courts and shopping in Island Beach State Park. These are public places in the public trust that the public can use, and they cannot be turned over to private interests,” said Tittel.

Voters in 2014 constitutionally dedicated 4 percent of Corporate Business Tax (CBT) revenues for open space, farmland and historic preservation, water programs, public and private site remediation, and underground storage tank programs. That percentage increases to 6 percent beginning with Fiscal Year 2020.

“Money for open space comes mostly from urban areas, where most of the people live. They’re putting the money in, but they’re not getting the resources back that wealthier suburbs are getting. Parks make a big difference in a community, attracting homeowners and businesses and improving quality of life.  We asked for set asides for urban areas and state parks, but they’re being shortchanged. Most of the funding is going out to rural and affluent areas, taking money away from communities that need more parks and open spaces,” said Tittel.

The choices made for funding allocations reinforce the need for a stable source of funding for our parks. As spending declines, our parks continue falling into more disrepair. No new swimming areas have been built for decades, and state parks on summer weekends often close by mid-morning because of the demand.

“For years state parks and parks in urban areas have been significantly underfunded. Fast-growing places like Jersey City and New Brunswick need more funding for their parks. The new funding formula should have prioritized those problems, not devoted 10% to nonprofits and stewardship. The stewardship language means money that should be spent on a playground in Jersey City will go for butterfly bushes in Mendham. Money that could go to plant trees in New Brunswick will go toward logging Sparta Mountain. Funding will be taken away from wetlands restoration and stream corridors. The biggest capital expense in our parks is for demolition because we don’t have the money to repair historic buildings,” said Tittel.

The state’s parks and recreation areas are not only important to our communities but to our economy. Park visitors generate $4 billion in tourism revenue annually. That figure could be boosted with further investment in park upgrades and the addition of new recreation areas.

“We need more equitable funding for our parks and open spaces. We need money to open new parks and plant trees and restore natural habitats in the parks we have. We need more money for capital improvements in all of our parks. That will require a more stable source of funding. There are 17 million people a year visiting parks in New Jersey, generating $4 billion in tourism revenue. That’s why we need to invest more. We should have a 40% set aside for urban areas and state parks and make those places a greater priority,” said Jeff TIttel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “The Sierra Club does not buy land and we do not take government money. Our job for 127 years has been to advocate for parks and for people, to make sure parks are adequately funded and staffed, and to protect open spaces everywhere. We will continue that fight. We will make sure everyone has access to open spaces and parks.”