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bach2yoga
Guest
For those of you who don't know, the Highlands bills passed in both houses yesterday.
OP/ED: HIGHLANDS/PINELANDS DEAL FAIR COMPROMISE
Date: 040610
From: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/
Press of Atlantic City, June 10, 2004
Not all political deals are bad, folks - despite the often-negative
connotation. The deal that enabled the Highlands bill to come to the
Senate floor today is a classic case of how a bipartisan, regional
effort can lead to a deal that's fair and right for both ends of the
state.
The Highlands will be protected from development, as it should be, by
a bill lauded by environmentalists.
Meanwhile, Pinelands towns hurt by strict curbs on growth will get
some money to offset lost property taxes. And, if the compromise goes
through, Pinelands growth towns will get millions more in school aid
to cope with spiraling enrollments caused by the Pinelands law.
Parochial? Sure. But it's only fair for a region that provided a
learning curve for the Highlands preservation effort. The Pinelands
law successfully preserved the core area from development. But there
was economic fallout, as well as a lack of planning and state support,
particularly in the growth areas. The Highlands bill seeks to mitigate
that fallout in the north, and it's only fair that the state try to
correct those problems in the south.
The school aid is provided in a separate bill that still must be
approved. But prospects look good, and all involved should hold up
their end of the deal.
The politicians responsible for getting these concessions are state
Sen. Bill Gormley, R-Atlantic - who first raised the issue - and state
Sen. Stephen Sweeney, a Gloucester County Democrat whose position on
the Senate Environment Committee allowed him to block the Highlands
bill until a deal was reached. Sweeney took hits for being aligned
with developers - and Gormley came to the Democrat's defense in a
radio ad that drew statewide attention.
"That's the business of politics," Sweeney said of the unlikely
alliance. "We worked well together."
And it's the business of politics at it's best - when it brings some
fairness and relief to taxpayers in this part of the state.
OP/ED: HIGHLANDS/PINELANDS DEAL FAIR COMPROMISE
Date: 040610
From: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/
Press of Atlantic City, June 10, 2004
Not all political deals are bad, folks - despite the often-negative
connotation. The deal that enabled the Highlands bill to come to the
Senate floor today is a classic case of how a bipartisan, regional
effort can lead to a deal that's fair and right for both ends of the
state.
The Highlands will be protected from development, as it should be, by
a bill lauded by environmentalists.
Meanwhile, Pinelands towns hurt by strict curbs on growth will get
some money to offset lost property taxes. And, if the compromise goes
through, Pinelands growth towns will get millions more in school aid
to cope with spiraling enrollments caused by the Pinelands law.
Parochial? Sure. But it's only fair for a region that provided a
learning curve for the Highlands preservation effort. The Pinelands
law successfully preserved the core area from development. But there
was economic fallout, as well as a lack of planning and state support,
particularly in the growth areas. The Highlands bill seeks to mitigate
that fallout in the north, and it's only fair that the state try to
correct those problems in the south.
The school aid is provided in a separate bill that still must be
approved. But prospects look good, and all involved should hold up
their end of the deal.
The politicians responsible for getting these concessions are state
Sen. Bill Gormley, R-Atlantic - who first raised the issue - and state
Sen. Stephen Sweeney, a Gloucester County Democrat whose position on
the Senate Environment Committee allowed him to block the Highlands
bill until a deal was reached. Sweeney took hits for being aligned
with developers - and Gormley came to the Democrat's defense in a
radio ad that drew statewide attention.
"That's the business of politics," Sweeney said of the unlikely
alliance. "We worked well together."
And it's the business of politics at it's best - when it brings some
fairness and relief to taxpayers in this part of the state.