Residents Criticize State Strategic Plan

New Jersey’s proposed Strategic Plan isn’t having an easy time working it’s way across the state.

At the fifth presentation of the Strategic Plan Tuesday night at Monmouth University’s Bey Hall, a packed auditorium spent the majority of the evening listing the numerous gripes they had with the plan. Issues ranged from a lack of transparency in the process, to poor environmental oversight, to a lack of protection of private property ownership. All came under scrutiny by the members of the audience.

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“We feel like we’re having a lot of our freedoms slowly eroded and taken away by the state, by the federal government, and the townships.” Said Rick Sherwood of Bayville. He was only one of many people at the meeting to reference fears of losing private ownership, specifically related to so called Agenda 21.

Additionally members of several environmental advocacy groups spoke as well about their qualms with the Strategic Plan.

“On the one hand we want more coordination, but on the other hand they say towns can do whatever they want. Water doesn’t stay within certain boundaries.” Said Amy Goldsmith State Director for the NJ Environmental Federation. Her other concern involved the Plan’s intent to continue persuading industries that were already in the state to stay. Goldsmith says we should instead be focusing on making the state good for green industries to settle. She feels that welcoming industries like wind and solar will be what helps the state’s future economic recovery.

The sixth and final public comment for the Strategic Plan will meet on March 1st at Rutgers University’s EcoComplex, located at 1200 Florence Columbus Road in Bordentown. The meeting begins at 6 pm.