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N.J. voters to decide whether to fund open space

TRENTON - New Jersey voters would decide if the state should borrow $400 million to preserve open space, farmland, and historic areas under a measure approved by the Legislature yesterday.

TRENTON - New Jersey voters would decide if the state should borrow $400 million to preserve open space, farmland, and historic areas under a measure approved by the Legislature yesterday.

The bill passed by 26-7 in the Senate and 66-9 in the Assembly.

In 2007, voters approved a bond issue to allocate $200 million for the Garden State Preservation Trust, but nearly all of that has been spent.

Critics of putting the measure on the ballot, including some environmental leaders, say a more permanent solution to fund the preservation of open space is needed.

But Assemblywoman Celeste Riley (D., Cumberland) said a referendum is the best solution for now.

"We'd like to find a permanent solution. . . . This is the best solution for this situation," said Riley, one of the cosponsors. "If we can inject cash into the system, that's a win."

Others took issue with the amount being considered.

Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R., Middletown) said the timing of the measure, which coincided with the passage of a budget he called a "disaster," was wrong.

He couldn't vote to ask voters "to support these hundreds of millions of dollars in November," he said. "I think we send a very, very wrong signal, a mixed signal at least, by putting this on the ballot."

Assemblyman Richard Merkt (R., Morris) voted against the measure for a similar reason earlier in the day.

"I wonder how we can go to the people of New Jersey and ask them to authorize more debt," he said.

Twelve consecutive bond measures for open space have been approved since 1961.

In other business, both houses passed an economic-stimulus bill that includes tax breaks for developers and businesses, a measure aimed at creating jobs and stimulating the economy.

"In a nutshell, we're trying to create any possible tool to allow the people in a position to help us . . . invest in New Jersey to create jobs," said Assemblyman Albert Coutinho (D., Essex), one of the cosponsors.

Assembly Republicans said the bill lumped several different issues into one piece of legislation and was given the buzzword stimulus.

"Why would we incorporate all of these different concepts under one bill?" asked Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R., Union). "These bills have different goals."

A vote was also scheduled on a measure that would prohibit the purchase of more than one handgun per month, which would make New Jersey the fourth state with a one-a-month law. The Assembly passed the bill last June.

The measure is aimed at targeting "straw" buyers, who have a clean record and purchase several guns at once to distribute them to criminals.

In February, three South Jersey Democrats - Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester) and Sens. Fred Madden (D., Gloucester) and Jeff Van Drew (D., Cape May) - voted against the bill, rendering it one vote short of advancing.

Sweeney and Van Drew remained opposed yesterday before the vote.

"At the end of the day, I just believe it will not make our streets any safer," Van Drew said, citing curbing gang violence as a surer way to cut down on illegal gun use.