BY JOHN REITMEYER AND MICHAEL GARTLAND
STATE HOUSE BUREAU
State House Bureau
 

Legislation that would get money to North Jersey communities hit hard by Hurricane Irene this year cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on Thursday, but could now face a long delay due to election-year politics.

The committee, which listened to testimony from several local elected officials from North Jersey, passed two flood-relief measures sponsored by Sen. Robert Gordon, D-Fair Lawn, during its afternoon meeting.

One bill would provide $100 million in emergency bond funds to towns and counties that suffered infrastructure damage during the storm, which hit New Jersey in late August and caused severe flooding in Bergen and Passaic counties.

The other bill would allow municipalities and counties to buy flood prone properties from homeowners using money generated by a local land preservation tax.

Gordon, who is running for reelection in the 38th District – one of the state’s most competitive and closely watched contests this year – said the residents he’s met on the campaign trail this year are asking for help.

“I’ve had people literally crying on my shoulder in the midst of soggy sheetrock and mold,” he told the committee.

But it’s unclear exactly how fast the two bills will move after Thursday’s action because all 120 legislative seats are on the November ballot and the legislative process has slowed to a near standstill with most lawmakers out campaigning.

The full Senate is not scheduled to hold a voting session until after the Nov. 8 election, and the Assembly doesn’t have any committee meetings or a voting session scheduled through the end of November.

That means the bills won’t move any further for at least several weeks, a point made Thursday by Sen. Kevin O’Toole, R-Cedar Grove.

“We all want to help, (but) nothing’s going to happen because it’s moving through one committee,” O’Toole said.

The $100 million bond issue proposed by Gordon would take advantage of a special clause in the state constitution that allows emergency bonds to be sold without voter approval to help the state respond to natural disasters.

Gordon said the state money would cover the gap between funds provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and insurance claims.

“What we need to do is get this money out quickly,” he said.

Some Republicans raised concerns about borrowing the money without voter approval, and the bond issue did not get any GOP votes.

But Republicans did vote for the measure that would allow municipalities and counties to levy a tax for the preservation of flood prone properties known as “Blue Acres.”

Current law allows towns and counties to establish a special tax to buy up farms, open space, historic sites and recreation fields, but not flood prone properties. Gordon said his bill would let the governments, by referendum, also raise funds to buy up properties that experience “repeated, destructive flooding.”

Gordon’s Republican opponent in the 38th district Senate contest is Bergen County Freeholder Chairman John Driscoll, who got a boost from Governor Christie during an event held in Paramus on Wednesday.

Driscoll did not return phone calls seeking his reaction to Gordon’s bills on Thursday.