State Open Space Initiative Fails in Senate

While a local measure to extend open space funding for another decade moves on in the borough council, legislators at the state level are pointing fingers after the failure of a statewide open space proposal to advance past the New Jersey Senate Tuesday.

The measure, which would have annually allocated a portion of the state sales tax, estimate at around $200 million, toward open space funding, failed by two votes in the Senate. A more expansive version of the initiative passed by a wide margin with bipartisan support last month.

Passage would have put the measure on the ballot for voter approval in November.

According to a report by NJSpotlight.com, Democrats are blaming Gov. Chris Christie for intimidating Republican supporters of the measure, as well as themselves. Senate President Stephen Sweeney claimed that a lack of support in the Assembly, which would have also needed to pass the measure, dimmed enthusiasm among Democrats in the Senate.

Politics aside, the measure had its critics, who claimed projections of the sales tax allocations were an underestimation and would have ballooned over the next decade, diverting resources from other state programs.

The funding would likely have complemented Oakland’s open space effort, should voters continue it in November. Officials have said that a primary benefit of the borough’s open space fund is attracting grants from the state and county level.

The borough council will likely vote Aug. 14 to put the 10-year open space levy renewal to voters in November.