Senator Steve Oroho, a member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement regarding the imminent expiration of the special appraisal process in the Highlands Preservation Area. The special appraisal process, which will expire on June 30, was designed to ensure fairness for property owners whose homes and farms were devalued by the 2004 Highlands Act that banned most development in the 860,000 acre area.
“This is a fundamental issue of fairness. The landowners in northern New Jersey believed that they would be fairly compensated for the value of land that was dramatically reduced in value by the implementation of the 2004 Highlands Act. In many cases, red tape and time delays hampered the ability of property owners from filing for consideration under the dual appraisal provision of the Highlands Act.
“The dual appraisal process was inserted into the Highlands Act to protect the rights of property owners whose land was significantly devalued by Highlands Act regulations. The dual appraisal process would compensate property owners for the value of their property before the Highlands Act took effect.
“The State of New Jersey wiped out millions of dollars of retirement funds and equity for many property owners and farmers in the Highlands Preservation Area. Although the Green Acres bond legislation is moving through the legislative process, by allowing the special appraisal process to expire at the end of June, the state will be buying properties for less than its worth, in effect, stealing the property rights out from under the owners’ feet.
“This policy choice by Trenton bureaucrats is ethically wrong and must be corrected. The special appraisal process must be extended, before the end of June, to ensure fairness in the Highlands region. Unless this is done, I cannot be supportive of the Green Acres bond proposal.”
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April 27, 2009
