Dear Editor:
Al Sullivan’s excellent Jan 11th story, “The battle for Liberty State Park”, exposed the danger in Assembly bill 3969. On the Governor’s desk, this bill had last minute language shamefully inserted with no public discussion, and gives a new Meadowlands development commission, which includes by the NJ Sports and Exposition Authority, the power to “evaluate, approve and implement any plan for LSP.” His commission’s goal will be to privatize and commercialize this inspiring free and green urban waterfront state park, dishonoring this priceless NJ treasure, a sacred park as it is scarce urban open space and sacred as it is the neighbor of Lady Liberty and Ellis Island. I urge park supporters statewide to call Governor Christie at 609-292-6000 and urge him to conditionally veto this bill until the LSP language is removed.
To see and sign onto the JC Parks Coalition’s organization “sign on” letter with about 50 organizations so far, news stories, the powerful Star Ledger and The Record editorials, please go to www.folsp.org and click on the top “banner”. We are thankful for Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop’s clear stand against privatization inside LSP and we urge the bill’s sponsor, Asm Prieto to respond to the public outrage and urge the governor to conditionally veto it. We thank the Jersey City City Council for their strong, supportive Resolution, initiated by Council President Rolando Lavarro and downtown Councilwoman Candice Osborne. The governor could sign the bill any day, so your phone calls and also contacting local legislators will make a difference. Please stand up for Liberty State Park now.
Sam Pesin,
President of The Friends of LSP and the son of Morris Pesin, LSP’s “father”