Hamilton Republican Mayoral Candidate Urges Voters to Vote "NO" on Klockner Woods Ballot Question
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10/31/2007 -
Today, Hamilton Republican mayoral candidate John Bencivengo urged voters to vote "NO" on Ballot Question #5, concerning the spending of $4.1 million to complete the controversial purchase of Klockner Woods.
"One week from today the people of Hamilton will finally have an opportunity, an opportunity that has been denied to them until now, to offer their opinion regarding Mayor Gilmore's $4.1 million purchase of Klockner Woods," said Bencivengo. "On next Tuesday's ballot the voters will be asked the question of whether Hamilton's taxpayers should pay $4.1 million for Klockner Woods. I urge all Hamiltonians to vote 'NO' on this question."
"The purchase of Klockner Woods three years ago has never passed the smell test and now the people themselves can tell the Mayor that $4.1 million plus interest is too high of a price to pay for land that is for all intents and purposes unbuildable. Just look at the facts behind this deal and it will be apparent why I am urging voters to vote 'NO' on this question," Bencivengo added.
"The deal to purchase Klockner Woods three years ago was reached between Mayor Gilmore and a campaign contributing developer. This same developer purchased Klockner Woods for $375,000 just a few years prior after the land had been on the market for years with no offers to purchase it. As part of the deal Mayor Gilmore agreed to pay 8% interest at a time when interest rates were around 3% and 4%. Environmental studies and maps conducted by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection show most of the land to be unbuildable wetlands. This conclusion is further supported by the fact that the land remained vacant for over 50 years while all of the surrounding land was developed," continued Bencivengo. "Finally, Mayor Gilmore claims that he bought the land to preserve open space; yet, he is now trying to sell open space that Hamilton Township already owns. This action raises the question of whether the Mayor's true intent in purchasing Klockner Woods was to preserve open space or take care of a campaign contributor."
"My position on Klockner Woods has always been that we should preserve as much of the limited remaining open space in Hamilton as possible. However, we mustn't overpay for land that will prevent us from saving even more open space in the future," commented Bencivengo. "By paying $4.1 million for Klockner Woods when it is not worth that much makes it impossible for us to purchase other parcels of open space with that same money. Such a deal is wasteful and that is why I am not supporting the purchase of Klockner Woods as it now stands. Klockner Woods has remained open space for over 50 years and it will remain open space even if Hamilton Township does not purchase it."
"This ballot question also presents the opportunity for the people to voice their opinions on how they feel open space should be purchased in the future," added Bencivengo. "If Mayor Gilmore had been proactive in identifying open space that could be preserved by the township we would not be in this predicament today. Klockner Woods was on the market for years and not once did the Mayor offer to buy the land when it was being sold for only $375,000. Instead, he waited for a developer to buy the land and inflate the price," he continued. "Just an ounce of planning by the Mayor could have preserved the land and saved Hamilton's taxpayers over $3.5 million. This reactionary method of purchasing open space only hurts Hamilton Township and must be changed. A 'NO' vote on this ballot question is also a vote of 'NO' to this type of reactionary open space purchasing program."
"Hamilton's taxpayers should not be forced to bear the financial burden for Mayor Gilmore's mistake and now is their opportunity to say that they won't bear that burden," Bencivengo said. "This ballot question also presents the opportunity to find out if Mayor Gilmore still supports the purchase of Klockner Woods for $4.1 million and whether he will listen to the people and honor their wishes if they vote 'NO' on the question. I believe the people deserve to know the answers to these questions before they go to the polls to cast their votes next Tuesday. Mayor Gilmore, we are all awaiting your response," Bencivengo concluded. |
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