Edison Open Space Trust Fund Up For A Vote

EDISON, NJ — The reinstatement of the Edison Open Space Trust Fund is up for a vote this November, and residents will have to decide if they want to restore it, or avoid a tax increase.

The Open Space Trust Fund would allow Edison to collect money dedicated to funding the parks, which would allow them to ask the state and county for matching grants to bolster the fund. This would require an increase in taxes of one cent per $100 of property value. For the typical Edison homeowner, this works out to about $18 a year.

The fund was first established in 1999, and was in effect through 2013. During that time frame, the town bought and preserved about 900 acres of land. Edison is currently nine percent open space.

The state of local parks has been a talking point at recent town council meetings. Councilman Joseph Coyle blasted the upkeep of the parks at a September meeting, calling it "inexcusable" that they'd fallen into disrepair.

"This is inexcusable. We owe our residents a higher standard, equal value of services to the high taxes they pay," Coyle said.

• Read more: Needles, Beer Cans Found At Edison Park, Councilman Says

The referendum reads:

Shall the Township of Edison establish an annual levy to raise funds for the municipal open space, recreation, farmland and historic preservation trust fund and the maintenance of same, at the rate not to exceed $0.01 per $100.00 of assessed value of real property located in the Township of Edison, to be effective as of January 1, 2019?

Image: The Edison Greenway, used with permission