LETTER: Please Vote NO on New Jersey Ballot Measure 2

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Sam Pesin, President of Friends of Liberty State Park, urges voters to not support New Jersey’s ballot measure regarding open space funding.

Friends of Liberty State Park

We apologize for the lateness of urging you now to vote No on ballot measure 2, which seemed from its innocent language to be another positive open space measure that would help state parks, as well as open space acquisition, with an increased source of sustainable funding.

The Friends board heard this past weekend from trusted people who are very involved in the state park service that passage of ballot measure 2 will take major funds away from Liberty State Park and other state parks, mainly giving them for open space in suburban and rural areas.

Land trust organizations and other environmentalists who don’t care about state parks or urban areas pushed for this ballot measure to support their mission. The legislation setting up the ballot measure was very deceiving.

So please vote No to stand up for LSP and other state parks with their backlog of $400 million of needed capital improvements.

If measure #2 passes, the Friends will need your help in contacting legislators to advocate that the measure’s “enabling legislation” ensures that some money goes to state parks and to work for other sources of state funds.

Sam Pesin
Friends of Liberty State Park


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4 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks Mr. Pesin. These ballot measures take much study. On the surface they sound like a sound yes decision when the wording is often misleading and repercussions of a yes are not ever considered. The state politics are off on this funding measure to the detriment of our state and Federal Parks as well as the purposes of communing w nature being supported rather than funding swing sets in a local park where no one leaves the hood.

  2. Sam –

    I think a lot of progressives, urban NJ folks, State Parks advocates et al were not aware of the cuts to Parks and environmental programs that resulted from the Open Space ballot approval –

    I wrote recently about a strategy to restore those cuts and see that the money is programmed to support progressive policy, see:

    A Strategy to Begin To Heal The Wounds Created By The Open Space Diversion Disaster

    http://www.wolfenotes.com/2014/11/a-strategy-to-begin-to-heal-the-wounds-created-by-the-open-space-diversion-disaster/

    Well, things are moving a LOT quicker than I anticipated.

    On Monday 12/8 Senate Environment Committee will take testimony on open space implementation legislation.

    They are moving quickly before people can get organize

    They need to hear from a LOT of people: RESTORE THE CUTS FIRST. Treat Urban NJ fairly.

    Please help get the word out as widely as possible.

    Wolfe

  3. This park is one of the greatest parks in the world. To think that a few hack politicians can take down this great park…..I say it won’t happen. The people in Jersey City and in the entire Hudson County will come to their senses and stop the handful of greedy politicians looking to make money off of the park’s grand view and history.
    Tom Dwyer Port Liberte

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