NJ Senate committee to address S762 on Feb. 18

NOPE will be in Trenton on Thursday, February 18, to testify - if needed - in favor of S762, the Senate measure to conduct a cost benefits analysis of the proposed Laurelwood civilian housing conversion at Naval Weapons Station Earle.

The Community and Urban Affairs Committee, which passed the measure unanimously during the 2009-10 legislative session, will again consider this bill (at 10 a.m., Committee Room 1 in the State House Annex in Trenton), which remains intact from its predecessor (S3017), which then-Senate President Codey refused to post for a full Senate vote for no good reason. Mr. Codey unexplainably set this important, rational and nonpartisan bill back by at least a month, in essence, but we are positive it will pass this time.

S762 would give New Jerseyans a true cost assessment of an unfundated mandate from the Department of Navy. NOPE, again, estimates the cost to all parties for the civilian housing plan (i.e. area residents, New Jersey taxpayers, the Navy, Laurelwood Homes) will run at least a half-billion dollars and must be considered before the DoN goes thru with opening its highly secure base to anyone that can cut a rent check.