Community Corner

The Hulabaloo over Open Space Expands

This letter is for residents who are wondering what the hullabaloo around the open space ballot question is all about. When you vote, this will be third question on the ballot, next to the two state questions. The question asks voters if up to 20 percent ($310,000/year) of the amount collected annually for the Open Space Trust Fund should be used for “development and improvements” instead of to buy land. Hillsborough voters originally approved this local tax in 1995 for open space acquisition and preservation.

Township Committee members have alluded to certain projects but state that a needs assessment will be done after the referendum passes. In 2005, the County shared results of their needs assessment before asking residents to approve re-allocating 25 percent of our County’s Open Space Tax. What Friends of Hillsborough Open Space is asking for is to call a spade, a spade. If an artificial turf field is needed, why not tap into the 25 percent of the County Open Space tax “for the development and/or improvement of Park and Recreation Facilities?” There already is accessible money. 

If we are patient, there already are plans to build eight or nine ballfields at the GSA depot. If trails are needed, we can pitch in and help build them, along with local landscapers who can volunteer to assist with design and heavy equipment.

There are no long-lasting negative consequences if you vote NO because we can still find a way to build trails and artificial turf fields. By voting no, you are stopping the negative consequences of development: increased taxes because of increased infrastructure and population. Voting yes is raiding the Hillsborough Open Space Trust Fund for unknown purposes and indefinitely at a time when state funds are depleted and county funds dedicated for the purchase of open space are already reduced by 25 percent. You have to trust this Township Committee and every future elected official to decide what to do with millions of diverted dollars ($310,000/year for 10 years is @$3.1 million).

 Stopping this diversion of Open Space Trust Funds is truly a non-partisan issue because no one can predict which party our future elected officials will belong to so everyone can have a clear conscience when voting NO.

Township Committee members have not been clear about their intentions to the general public but Committeeman Suraci voiced them at the April, May, and June Open Space Advisory Committee meetings. Although our town’s Open Space Advisory Committee had “strong concerns about the proposed referendum” and countered with a 10 percent allocation, the Township Committee chose to divert up to 20 percent because the original 25 percent that they originally proposed would be even more than the amount left over to buy land, after paying off the loans from previous land purchases.

Township Committee members certainly were not responsive to the residents, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association and Sourland Conservancy representatives who voiced concerns about the ballot question for over two hours at the July 23rd Township Committee meeting. They voted unanimously to put the Open Space question on the November ballot without any discussion of the concerns raised. So much for public input! Remember, when asked repeatedly what the $310,000/year will be used for, the Township Committee response is, "It's up to the public."

A mailer sent by the Hillsborough Republican Election Committee includes a “quote” from the chairman of the NJ Keep it Green Coalition that was cobbled together by only using the bolded sections below.

"We applaud Governor Christie and the bipartisan members of the Legislature for continuing these wise investments to protect clean water, natural areas, and quality parks for our children and grandchildren," said Tom Gilbert, Chair of the NJ Keep It Green Coalition.

This is a deliberate distortion. The original article commends the funding of the NJ Green Acres program, which has as its goal to “continue New Jersey’s tremendous legacy of preserving open space.” Clearly, the intent of this article is not to divert funding away from open space preservation.

In an Oct. 31st press release, the director of the Sierra Club stated, ““This [quote in the mailer] is a political dirty trick and a deliberate mischaracterization of the Sierra Club’s position. The Hillsborough Republican Election Committee willfully put in part of a quote without the entire quote to again confuse and misrepresent Sierra Club’s full position. The people who put out this flyer have basically lied to the people of Hillsborough when it comes to open space and the Sierra Club’s position.

"This is type of stuff that Nixon did during Watergate and just like Nixon they didn’t think they would get caught. He got caught and we are catching the Hillsborough Republicans doing the same thing. What they did was wrong and despicable."

To make our town a better place to live, voters should not accept this!

Since August, #FOHOS has been providing information so that Hillsborough residents can make an informed vote. We hosted two informational forums, posted daily at www.facebook.com/fohosnj which includes the minutes of the Open Space Advisory Committee meetings and the NJ Futures study, and cheered when unsolicited letters to the editor asked readers to question the referendum. Our Vote No signs are thankfully on many private properties. We prioritized our modest budget to send a mailer that includes a web link to read a summary document or anyone can visit www.bit.ly/why_vote_no. If you still have any questions, emailfohosnj@gmail.com.

The future landscape of Hillsborough is in your hands. Thank you for voting on Tuesday Nov. 5th from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.! Please remember that there are only six polling locations since we no longer vote at elementary schools for security reasons. Check your sample ballot for your location.

Thuy Anh Le

A member of the Friends of Hillsborough Open Space

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Hillsborough Board of Education and this letter is solely my own, is not authorized by the Hillsborough BOE, and the letter is not written on behalf of the board.


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