Now Is Not The Time to Dilute Open Space Preservation

I am a Hillsborough Township taxpayer who enjoys the existing regions of preserved open space within the township limits.  

Currently, taxes are raised to purchase available open space land within Hillsborough for preservation. In the upcoming election, there will be a non-partisan question included in the ballot (Referendum Question #3) asking if you agree to diverting a portion of these taxes for other uses.  

My response to this question will be a definite, No.  This is because at this time, there is still a significant amount of available land within the Hillsborough limits that could be purchased with open space funds.  However, this land will be also available for purchase by property developers, and the like.  

As time moves on, due to purchase of undeveloped land within Hillsborough, there will be less opportunity to secure the land for open space preservation.  Clearly, at present, this is not the time to dilute the availability of open space tax funds by redirecting a portion of it for other uses.  Until we have purchased all available undeveloped land for open space preservation before it disappears forever to the developers, we should not consider the use any open space funds for any other purposes.

At this point, I am completely baffled as to why anyone would suggest taking monies from our open space fund to develop trails, playing fields, or anything else.  Our town has been blessed with Doris Duke's estate, holding many nature trails as well as bike trails.  

Hillsborough Township has seen to it that playing fields are numerous around town.  Since there will come a time when there will be no more available land to purchase as open space, now is the time to focus on acquiring this land.  

Although it is our nature to want to purchase and develop immediately, I think it best that we be patient and handle this issue in the proper order.  Acquire the space first and then allow the townspeople to decide what they might to wish to see on this open space land.  If the people vote Yes to this issue in November and the land is developed, we have to accept the fact that the development will then need to be maintained.  Has anyone thought of where that money would come from?

If builders and developers get to the open space land before us, we will then be talking new roads, new schools, increased police and fire personnel which will obviously result in a further rise in our property taxes. 

As I understand it, Hillsborough has been voted 16th of the most desirable towns to live in the US.  Might I suggest that this primarily is due to our good schools and our acquired open space. 

In summary, now is not the time to dilute precious open space preservation taxes for other uses……….please select “No” as your response to the referendum question (Referendum Question #3) when you vote.

Tina Lo Sardo