Preserving Our Open Space A Race Against Time By John F. McKeon
State Assemblyman and Mayor, West Orange Preserving New Jersey’s
remaining open space is critical for our future, for both in
economic and ecological reasons. Loss of land, and in particular
sources of freshwater, is permanent and irreversible. There are
a finite number of undeveloped acres in New Jersey. As the
nation’s most densely populated state, we are in a race against
time to protect our natural resources. These treasures include
pristine watersheds, valuable farmland, historic sites and
flood-prone areas. With land values at a historic low, there has
never been a better time to purchase open space. It would be
foolish not to take advantage of the most value in return for
each tax dollar. In the first days of this month, and perhaps by
the time you read this article, voters will have been asked to
support a $400 million dollar bond referendum which will be
earmarked to replenish the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund
(GSPT). Through the