MAYOR’S STATEMENT ON THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF HIGH POINT STATE PARK

There is desperation, and then again, there is arrogance.

The current State Administration in Trenton proposes to pay for the State’s financial mismanagement by withholding money that belongs to the taxpayers of New Jersey for property tax relief.

This is an act of desperation.

As Mayor, I cannot endorse that proposal. It does nothing to relieve the state’s tax burden. It only serves as a lame effort by Trenton to shift the blame, hoping that the public will focus its anger on local governments instead of on Trenton.

Now, we are faced with the proposed closure of High Point State Park.

This goes beyond desperation. It is nothing short of arrogance.

If the State of New Jersey had not taken a pension holiday during the 1990’s, we would not be facing a pension nightmare today.

If the State of New Jersey had not recklessly built up its debt beyond the ability to manage it, - If they had only lived under the same budget rules that they imposed on local towns these past several decades, - they would not be facing their budget crisis today.

So what is their solution? Punish the businessman. Punish the public. Push the cost burden away from Trenton, where the problem was created, and make the little guy pay for the State’s incompetence. Punish the Veterans. They propose to close High Point State Park.

I urge the legislators of the State of New Jersey to reject this course of action.

I urge NJDEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson to reconsider her plan to close High Point State Park.

And, perhaps most importantly, I say to Governor Jon Corzine: If the State of New Jersey cannot manage its own State Park system – if you cannot provide the public service that you were elected to provide – then put aside the arrogance, and just give us ownership of High Point State Park.

If you can’t do it, let us show you how it’s supposed to be done. Use it or lose it.

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F. Parker Space, Mayor of Wantage Township

How to contact the Governor about closing our Park.

Related articles on the closing of High Point State Park
N.J. Cost Cutting May Close Some Parks AP 4/1/08
N.J. State Parks Could Close To Save Money - NBC
N.J. State Parks in Danger of Closing? 69News 4/1/08
Budget ax threatens New Jersey state parks- ABC news 4/1/08