Reform Agenda for the Next Governor
by Carleton Montgomery, Executive Director
With the governor’s race imminent (can you wait for it to end?), a big group of environmental, housing and land use planning nonprofits, including PPA, got together to tell the candidates what they need to do to save the state’s land and water. We created a policy agenda of high-priority reforms to:
- Enact clean energy policies
- Provide more transportation options
- Support compact development and housing that is affordable
- Protect our natural resources
- Focus the State’s Administration on unified goals for New Jersey’s future
The policy platform includes 12 specific reforms.
For protecting natural resources, we call on the next governor to:
- Pass the short-term open space funding measure and establish a stable, long-term funding mechanism for open space including acquisition, capital improvements and operations.
- Complete and implement the statewide water supply master plan, and repair old water infrastructure systems.
- Reduce pollution from over-use of fertilizer, from storm water run-off, and from outdated construction standards.
And we make specific proposals in each of the other areas as well. Here is the document we sent the three major candidates – John Corzine, Chris Daggett and Chris Christie.
One of our main themes is that you can’t save the environment without addressing the need for affordable housing, other ways to get around than the car, and getting government agencies to work in concert rather than at cross-purposes.
When we know who the next governor will be, I’ll be asking PPA’s members and supporters to help us push him to take immediate action on these reforms.
Let me know what you think!