Published in the Asbury Park Press
An Asbury Park Press editorial
Although land preservation is a laudable goal, now is not the time for the Legislature to allocate $15 million to help purchase 700 acres of the Ciba-Geigy tract in Dover Township. The land faces no immediate threat of development, and Gov.-elect James E. McGreevey has called for a spending freeze because of a looming state budget deficit.
There's no agreement with Ciba-Geigy on sale of the land. Dover Township officials haven't even had the land appraised, so no one knows what the asking price might be.
The bill ready for a vote in the Senate envisions the $15 million being used to preserve 700 forested acres of the 1,350-acre Ciba-Geigy property as open space. Part of the land, once the site of the Toms River Chemical Corp., is contaminated from the manufacturing operations of the company and its successor. The property is zoned for industrial use.
Next year, Sen. Andrew R. Ciesla and Assemblymen James W. Holzapfel and David W. Wolfe, the Ocean County Republicans who sponsored the $15 million appropriation, can renew their efforts, armed with more specifics on the value of the property and the amount of land to be acquired. They also might have the purchase included on the year's open space acquisition list, using bond money approved by voters.
No one disputes the need to preserve most of the Ciba-Geigy property. When the time comes, the case for the purchase will be strong enough to merit legislative support.
Published on December 17, 2001
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