Monmouth County voters are being asked to consider an increase to the County’s Open Space Trust Fund. Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) encourages residents to vote “YES.”
Residents of Monmouth County pay into a dedicated Open Space Trust Fund through our property taxes. This Fund directly supports the purchase of new county and municipal park land, the preservation of farms, the construction of new recreation facilities and the restoration of historic structures, and municipal grants for the improvement of local parks. Increasing the rate will allow the County to keep pace with rising land costs and the loss of land to development such as massive warehouses and high-density housing.
Our Open Space Trust Fund has helped us create one of the best park systems in the country with a footprint of over 18,000 acres across 44 diverse parks with millions of visits annually. Monmouth County was the first County in New Jersey to establish an Open Space Trust Fund, when voters approved the ballot measure in 1987. Since its creation, voters have approved increases five times. Now, it’s time to do so again.
This Fund has supported the purchase of hundreds of properties for permanent preservation. Our local communities have greatly benefited as well. 51 of our 53 municipalities have received land acquisition and park development grants totaling $61 million since 2002. The collective impact of the Open Space Trust Fund to expand and enhance our green spaces has been remarkable, with only a modest but critical contribution by each homeowner annually.
We are fortunate to have access to a wide range of green spaces. This is especially true when you consider our location in the most densely populated state in the nation and the increasing environmental challenges we are facing like flooding, storms, and wildfires. Open space provides countless benefits to public health and wellbeing, our economy, and, of course, our environment. Land preservation and nature-based solutions help protect our homes, businesses, and quality of life.
Founded in 1977, MCF is a nationally accredited independent nonprofit land trust that works alongside local, state, and federal partners to permanently preserve land in Monmouth County. Our charitable work supports outdoor recreation, agriculture, clean water, and wildlife. MCF is proud to have assisted with preserving nearly 9,700 acres of open space and farmland (about the size of 11 Central Parks) since our founding 48 years ago. This includes more than 4,400 acres or about one-quarter of Monmouth County park lands.
In addition to the County-wide referendum, residents of Little Silver, where I reside, and Manasquan will have ballot questions seeking to increase open space funding in their municipalities. In line with our mission, MCF recommends a vote “YES” on all three ballot questions to help #KeepMonmouthGreen. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to serve as President of the Board of Trustees of MCF and that my family has been able to enjoy the “great outdoors” right in our own backyard. I hope that you will join us in supporting these important initiatives.
Matthew Cohen,
President
Monmouth Conservation Foundation
