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In the November 2009 general election, New Jersey voters will elect a governor and lieutenant governor and two representatives for the General Assembly in each of the 40 Legislative Districts. Special elections will also be held for the State Senate in the 6th and 23rd Legislative Districts to fill unexpired terms. Various county and municipal offices also will be on the November ballot. The 2009 election is the first in which the office of lieutenant governor will be on the ballot.
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| Ballot Question |
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The following ballot question will appear statewide on the November General Election ballot:
GREEN ACRES, WATER SUPPLY AND FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION, AND FARMLAND
AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOND ACT OF 2009
Shall the "Green Acres, Water Supply and Floodplain Protection, and Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2009," which authorizes the State to issue bonds in the amount of $400 million to provide moneys for (1) the acquisition and development of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including lands that protect water supplies, (2) the preservation of farmland for agricultural or horticultural use and production, (3) the acquisition, for recreation and conservation purposes, of properties that are prone to or have incurred flood or storm damage,and (4) funding historic preservation projects; and providing the ways and means to pay the interest on the debt
and also to pay and discharge the principal thereof, with full public disclosure of all spending, be approved? |
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| League of Women Voters of New Jersey Analysis |
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The League of Women Voters of New Jersey has analyzed this ballot question and has provided three reasons to vote yes, and three reasons to vote no.
Reasons to vote "yes":
· Open space and historic preservation provide numerous benefits, such as support for tourism, protection of our
water supply, and maintenance of wildlife diversity. Farmland preservation supports an economically viable
agricultural industry.
· Land costs are relatively low at present due to the national economic recession.
· Use of a bond issue allows the state to purchase additional open space without increasing taxes (although tax revenues may be needed to cover payments in the future).
Reasons to vote "no":
· The State already has a large debt burden, which must be paid off. The state's finances are in poor shape at
this time, which raises concerns about new expenditures or debt.
· If certain purchases are seen as critical, alternative funding mechanisms could be chosen for them that do not
involve additional borrowing.
· New bond issues every few years do not provide a stable, sustainable source of funding for open space
preservation.
The League is not taking a position on this ballot question.
Read Full Analysis
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| Garden State Preservation Trust Analysis |
| Read Full Analysis |
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