Anti-Sprawl Dialogue Takes It up a Notch

It's all part McGreevey's so-called "smart growth" agenda (see earlier stories), and while the latest proposed changes still need legislative approval, the state's development community has already taken the battle to the streets, in a manner of speaking. At the just-concluded Atlantic Builders Convention in Atlantic City, for example, McGreevey was center stage, and in a manner that would not have been to his liking had he been there in person.

For example, the 9,000 attendees from a half-dozen states were greeted at the entrance with a continuous-loop video tape of that portion of the Governor's state-of-the-state address back in January in which he outlined his anti-sprawl campaign and essentially blamed developers for all of the state's problems. And exhibitors at the show handed out bumper stickers that read, "New Construction Feeds My Family."

The association's executive director, Patrick O'Keefe, announced that the industry would step up its lobbying effort in Trenton. The overall message from members was that the Governor's agenda would raise prices, eliminate jobs, depress the construction and real estate industries and plunge the state deeper into recession.

The Washington, DC-based National Association of Home Builders, meanwhile, has jumped into the whole question feet first. In a letter to McGreevey that was subsequently released to the public, NAHB President Kent Conine called the Governor's various growth-related proposals "the worst sort of no-growth rhetoric masquerading as smart growth…. [The proposals] give priority to the environment over many social needs, and they fail to recognize the importance of housing to the quality of life of New Jersey's residents."

All of this comes at a time when the Governor's approval ratings have sunk to new lows--only 38% of voters approve of his performance. He's getting especially low marks for his handling of several key issues, including the economy and jobs, property taxes and taxes in general.

And his problems are apparently as much a matter of style as substance. As one observer in the real estate industry tells GlobeSt.com, "People don't like his 'shot-gun' style of initiating public policy. It reminds people too much of [former Gov.] Jim Florio."