New Jersey Future Hails Promise of State Strategic Plan

April 2nd, 2012 by Chris Sturm

Proposed Revisions Can Ensure Balance and Effective Implementation

As an organization formed to promote and watchdog state planning, New Jersey Future has followed closely the development of the State Strategic Plan. Today we submitted our comments to the State Planning Commission (pdf), which is scheduled to vote on a final plan on April 25.

“We commend the Christie administration for recognizing the premise of the 1986 New Jersey State Planning Act – that New Jersey can have both economic growth and a healthy environment by adopting a statewide plan with a sound vision for the future,” said New Jersey Future Executive Director Peter Kasabach. “ The draft State Strategic Plan and the supporting Executive Order 78 go a step further by setting in motion a process for state agencies to align their resources behind the plan’s goals — a critically important step toward ensuring that the plan will have a meaningful impact on how and where New Jersey grows.”

However, Kasabach added, “While this approach has enormous potential, the State Strategic Plan requires several revisions to meet fully the requirements of the State Planning Act, and additional adjustments to ensure tangible improvements to our state. The Christie administration should demonstrate its commitment and jumpstart the plan’s implementation by moving ahead on a handful of complementary actions recommended in the comments.”

Kasabach concluded, “We in New Jersey have a great opportunity to use growth as a lever to improve our economy, environment and communities, but we need to be smart and strategic about how we do it.”