| DEP Commissioner
Celebrates Increased Funding for Urban Parks
Campbell Reminds Voters of Opportunity to Approve $150 Million
for Open Space and Park Projects
(03/137) TRENTON ---
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner
Bradley M. Campbell joined Essex County Executive Joseph
DiVincenzo on Tuesday to celebrate the McGreevey administration's
increased funding for urban park improvements, and he reminded
voters that they soon will have an opportunity to approve
up to $150 million more for open space and park projects.
"Under Governor McGreevey's reforms to the DEP's
Green Acres program, we are substantially increasing the
amount of money we provide for park improvements and acquisitions
in densely populated areas of the state like Essex County," said
DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "By creating
neighborhood parks where our children can play safely and
adults can stroll along tree-lined paths, we make our cities
and older suburbs more attractive places to live."
Joining Campbell and DiVincenzo for the announcement at
Branch Brook Park were representatives of 10 nonprofit
groups that are in line to receive grants ranging from
$250,000 to $400,000 for county park improvements.
"Governor James E. McGreevey and DEP Commissioner
Brad Campbell understand the great demands that are placed
on our historic park system and the resources we need to
maintain them," DiVincenzo said. "I truly appreciate
the state looking favorably on what has been a unique and
innovative community partnership that we used to file our
applications this year."
The DEP has recommended to the Garden State Preservation
Trust that Essex County receive $3 million in matching
grants in the next funding round and that non-profit groups
receive another $3.4 million to upgrade county parks. If
approved by the Trust, the grant recommendations would
be forwarded to the Legislature for approval. The money
would be available after the governor signs the grants
into law.
The proposed $6.4 million total far exceeds the $2.5 million
in open space grants awarded Essex County and local park
groups in the last funding round, including $500,000 awarded
the Green Fields Foundation for improvements to Brookdale
Athletic Fields.
In his State of the State speech, Governor McGreevey said
he would create or improve 200 community parks. Last year,
extra consideration was given to funding parks in urban
and densely developed suburban neighborhoods. The DEP is
placing even more emphasis on community parks in the recently
proposed package of grants and loans sent to the Trust.
The governor's Green Acres reforms put a higher priority
on acquiring and upgrading parks in cities and densely
populated suburbs. These are defined as areas with populations
of at least 35,000 or with population densities greater
than 5,000 people per square mile.
Campbell reminded voters that they will have an opportunity
to approve an additional $150 million for park improvements
and open space purchases on Election Day, Nov. 4. Public
Question No. 1, a constitutional amendment, proposes to
increase the bonding capacity of the Garden State Preservation
Trust to $1.15 billion, an increase of $150 million from
the $1 billion voters approved in 1998.
The increased capacity would place no additional tax burden
on New Jersey taxpayers. The sales tax dedicated in 1998
to pay off Garden State Preservation Trust bonds would
cover these additional bonds by taking advantage of today's
lower interest rates.
"At least $50 million would be used to create and
improve parks in our cities and suburbs over the next three
years as part of Gov. McGreevey's Parks for People initiative," Campbell
said. "Last year, we could provide only $1 in Green
Acres funding for every $8 requested by local governments
to acquire and upgrade local parks. This additional money
would help meet New Jersey's growing demand for open space."
A minimum of $50 million also would be spent on open space
purchases and farmland preservation in the Highlands, a
critical environmental resource that is the source of drinking
water for Essex County and more than a third of New Jersey's
residents.
Governor McGreevey this year signed legislation into law
that triples the priority value given to potential open
space purchases that protect water quality and water supplies.
Combined with $150 million from Ballot Question No. 1,
the DEP will be placing greater emphasis on preserving
watershed lands and other critical water supply areas in
the Highlands.
"Raising the bonding cap by $150 million will not
raise taxes or cost taxpayers anything additional," Campbell
said. "Just as many homeowners have taken advantage
of lower interest rates to take out larger mortgages without
increasing their monthly payments, this constitutional
amendment would allow the state to increase funding for
open space, community parks and farmland without spending
more than voters approved in 1998."
In 1998, voters approved a constitutional dedication
of $98 million annually from sales and use tax revenue
over the next 30 years to provide a stable source of
funding for open space purchases, farmland preservation
and historic preservation. Currently, the state may borrow
up to $1 billion over the first 10 years, using the $98
million annually to pay off the debt. With today's low
interest rates, $98 million annually is sufficient to
cover payments on $1.15 billion in debt, allowing the
state to expand its open space and farmland preservation
efforts.
Since Governor McGreevey took office last year, the State
Agriculture Development Committee has preserved 306 farms
covering 25,174 acres statewide. The state Green Acres
program has acquired another 43,492 acres of open space
under McGreevey.
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