Dear Editor:
Governor Christie’s Department of Environmental Protection is shamefully refusing to promise public hearings and a public comment period for their Liberty State Park commercialization and privatization plans. Their development proposals report and press statements have only pledged what will inevitably be a rigged invitation-only “stakeholder process.”
The governor should totally abandon these plans, which would severely harm LSP’s public access, but if he doesn’t, the DEP must provide a full public participation process for our treasured park behind Lady Liberty.
DEP Commissioner Martin has ignored letters and resolutions calling for this essential process from the Friends, JC Mayor Steve Fulop, Senators Sandra Cunningham, Stephen Sweeney, and Loretta Weinberg, Assemblypeople Raj Mukherji, Angela McKnight, and Nick Chiaravalloti and the Jersey City Council and the Hudson County Board of Freeholders.
The governor’s and commissioner’s failure to let all New Jerseyans express themselves on the official record and listen to The People, and an attempt to ramrod privatization leases into our priceless park, would be a subversion of democracy and dishonor Lady Liberty.
It seems that this administration is scared of public opinion, as they know that the 40 year broad public consensus has overwhelmingly been for a free and green open space park for future generations.
Sincerely,
Sam Pesin, President
The Friends of Liberty State Park