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Natural Lands Trust Fund, Ocean County, NJ

Property Tax Increase and Bonding Authorization Referendum

"Working with a trusted pollster, TPL tested public opinion and showed us that the time was right. New Jersey communities interested in establishing their own Open Space Trust Funds are wise to turn to the Trust for Public Land for support and advice."

-- John C. Bartlett, Jr. Board of Chosen Freeholders

With a regional watershed, an abundance of wetlands and wildlife, and a web of streams that wind through picturesque pinelands and bayfront properties, the Barnegat Bay holds a special place in the hearts of many New Jerseyans. It also enjoys a unique commitment by the Trust for Public Land: the Barnegat Bay Initiative. This initiative involves long-term research into conservation priorities and possibilities, a public education program, public funding from all levels of government complemented by private fund raising, and a targeted land acquisition effort designed to preserve the region's natural beauty and protect its natural resources.

Barnegat Bay is located in Ocean County, midway along New Jersey's eastern shore. The county is one the largest and fastest growing in the state -- and has been for the past fifty years. This long-term growth has strained the balance of the bay's ecosystem and threatened the quality of life of Ocean County residents. Pressure on the Barnegat Bay watershed, its drinking water supplies and groundwater recharge areas, has caused particular concern. Since the county lacked its own revenue source dedicated to open space protection, it wasn't able to match funding available through the state's "Green Acres" program. TPL's recommendation: create a countywide Open Space Trust Fund through a property tax used exclusively for the acquisition and maintenance of open space, natural lands and farmlands.

In November 1997, 61% of Ocean County voters approved the measure, and a trust fund was established. Here's how it happened.

• Electoral Analysis and Polling. Since state enabling legislation was passed in 1989, counties and municipalities across New Jersey have created open space trust funds with voter approval. But Ocean County was reluctant to make the attempt. Many members of the solidly Republican county legislature, the Board of Chosen Freeholders, were committed to keeping taxes low. The county's large senior citizen population was considered unlikely to support new taxes for land conservation. But when TPL analyzed voting patterns on statewide Green Acres bond measures, precincts with higher-than-average proportions of seniors showed solid support. TPL then engaged a local Republican polling firm whose expertise in evaluating voter preferences was highly regarded by local elected officials. The poll found that seniors favored the concept by a solid 58% to 26%, Republicans by 66% to 24%. But the poll also found that support dropped sharply for a tax increase of much more than 1 per $100.

• Organization. At the same time TPL conducted its research, it helped form a citizens advisory committee. This group of local leaders represented diverse constituencies, from business to senior citizens to environmental advocates. As the backbone of trust fund effort, their direction on community outreach, public education and grassroots organizing was crucial to the measure's success. The coalition also demonstrated to county freeholders that the open space trust fund enjoyed broad-based support.

• Measure Development With poll results in hand, TPL and members of the citizens committee approached the county's board of freeholders. Clearly responsive to the needs of constituents and concerned about open space protection, the freeholders, led by then-director John Barlett, referred the measure to the November 1997 ballot. As worded, the measure would permit the county to levy a maximum tax of 1.2 per $100 of property valuation. Proceeds would be deposited into a trust fund to purchase and maintain, or service debt on bonds to acquire, open space, farmland, sources of drinking water, and groundwater recharge areas. TPL worked closely with the freeholders to ensure that the structure of the measure, and the way it would be described on the ballot, reflected the voter preferences revealed by the poll.
• Public Education To help pass the measure, the citizens group registered a campaign committee called the Ocean County Partnership for Natural Lands. Although campaign funds were limited, supporters actively promoted the trust fund, emphasizing the measure's widespread endorsements, including local newspapers, seniors groups, chambers of commerce, and the League of Women Voters. In addition, TPL made a grant to a local nonprofit organization to educate the public about the measure. The grant was used to produce a nonpartisan, informational brochure that outlined the measure, including the ballot question, the full text of the interpretive statement that would also appear on the ballot, and an excerpt from the freeholders' resolution placing the measure before the voters.

In November 1997, Ocean County became one of thirteen New Jersey counties and fifty- three municipalities to establish an open space trust fund. The new tax is expected to raise nearly $4 million annually to protect the region's watershed and agricultural lands. Meanwhile, TPL's work throughout the county and the state continues. TPL's Century Plan, a Barnegat Bay Initiative-study of 100 unique conservation sites in the Barnegat Bay watershed, is being used by the county and the state to set preservation priorities. TPL has been assisting other communities with open space trust funds, like Clinton and Hillsborough townships, to negotiate and purchase threatened parcels. And TPL is responding to requests from several other counties and municipalities for help in establishing their own open space trust funds.