TRENTON — Armed with a poll that showed overwhelming public support for their plan to save New Jersey’s out-of-cash open space trust fund, environmentalists and lawmakers from both parties today called on state Assembly leaders to act on it.
The state Senate has been moving quickly on a constitutional amendment (SCR84/ACR130) to ask voters if they would support requiring 4 percent of the Corporation Business Tax currently dedicated to environmental programs be used specifically to fund open space programs. It would then increase the share to 6 percent of the corporation business tax after five years.
But Assembly leaders have been reluctant to put it up for a vote.
“It’s really important that we do that in the next week, and we’re hopeful that the Assembly will take this up. That’s really the critical point,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation voters.
To get the proposed amendment on the ballot in November , both the Senate and Assembly would need to pass the resolution with three-fifth majorities by Aug. 2.
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