High home vacancies, failing schools and neglected infrastructure in many older communities are all testament to the consequences of sprawling development, which pulls needed investment, jobs and residents from existing communities, speeding their decline; and making sprawling development seem the only logical choice.
Smart Growth
Vacant Housing Tells Sprawl Story, Too
Friday, January 17th, 2003Governor Sets Summit for October 22
Friday, October 11th, 2002New Jersey has yet to link meaningfully state spending to its State Plan, even though the Plan defines where growth will best benefit New Jersey’s economy and environment, as identified with participation from local governments.
Council Kicks Off April 23
Friday, April 19th, 2002The Smart Growth Council kicking off April 23 will “re-orient how the state looks at growth,” by integrating the State Plan into state spending policies and departmental regulations, according to Governor James E. McGreevey.
Leaders of the Pack
Monday, February 18th, 2002The nation’s most densely populated state took an important step toward curbing sprawl Jan. 31 with the creation of a Smart Growth Policy Council within the governor’s office. Made up of Cabinet heads and leaders of key state agencies, the council will meet bi-monthly or as needed.
New Taxes or No, Tax System Needs Repair
Friday, November 30th, 2001UNINTENDED TAX CONSEQUENCES
As New Jersey’s leaders argued this week how best to live within state means without raising taxes, the Fund for New Jersey reported that nearly half of all state and local taxes collected in New Jersey come from property taxes (47 percent). In most states, the property tax burden is closer to 30 […]
New Priorities Call For Better Coordination, Oversight of Planning
Wednesday, October 31st, 2001NEW PLANNING PRIORITIES
In the League of Women Voters’ debate, New Jersey’s Democratic candidate for Governor reaffirmed he would prohibit state spending that is inconsistent with New Jersey’s State Plan. The Republican candidate responded affirmatively as well for the first time publicly, although elsewhere in the debate he offered investment ideas that were at odds with […]
Farmland Tax Policies Work Against Preservation
Wednesday, October 10th, 2001New Jersey, as virtually all other states, helps its farmers stay profitable with preferential property tax treatment. Known as “farm-value assessment,” this tax policy sharply reduces the property tax on “actively devoted farmland.”
Saving Land Without The Tax Bite Takes TDRs
Wednesday, August 1st, 2001Saving Land, Sparing Taxpayers
New Jersey announced last week that it will spend $230 million to purchase another 58,000 acres of farmland and open space, and preserve these from development.
In March, Burlington County preserved 640 acres of farm property at no cost to taxpayers by using “transfer of development rights,” or TDR.
Used successfully by other states […]
Healthiest Gains Come From Walkable Communities
Thursday, June 28th, 2001The Center for Disease Control reports that trips made by walking or cycling had declined to 6.4 percent by 1995, a direct consequence of sprawl.
Municipalities Need a “Smart Growth Shield”
Tuesday, June 19th, 2001A State Appellate Court this month upheld Mount Olive Township’s rezoning of a parcel of land to limit development, because the zoning change was based on the State Plan.
