Lestini questions the Freeholder Board’s allocation of funds in his letter.
I am extremely disappointed that our Freeholder Board voted for deep reductions to open space and farmland preservation revenue. This program has been instrumental in preserving over 35,000 acres of farmland. It not only maintains our county’s character but also helps family farms survive and thrive. Sadly, what should be a win-win program has not been properly tended or incentivized.
Rather than improve the program to encourage participation, the board exploits this neglect, cutting open space revenue nearly in half to offset increased spending of almost $7 million, mainly servicing our $300 million debt. But at what cost? What happens when, down the road, a developer offers a struggling family below market value for their farm, but the county has insufficient reserves?
I understand firsthand what it means to pay property taxes in this county. But I also know that cutting revenue for farmland and open space means we are losing a piece of our heritage by inadequately preparing for the future. To me, this has greater value than negligible tax decreases. I see helping our farmers as a critical service to Burlington County, and saying that services won’t be cut is simply untrue.
In an election year, the freeholders are allowing an important program to languish, claiming “tax relief” that, in reality, diverts future open space revenue to balance spending increases. This is short sighted and fiscally irresponsible. Freeholders Gibbs and Hughes should be actively working to make the program thrive once again. Instead, they are using gimmicks to positively spin what is actually their failure to sustain a program benefitting both our residents and farmers.
Brian Lestini
