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N.J. should be safe for homeowners!

Recent flooding in the Passaic River basin is a result of 30 years of studies that have gone nowhere.

At the same time Governor Christie criticizes the federal government for failing to help flood-ravaged regions of the state, he aggressively attempts to reverse Highlands regulations through appointment of new people to the Highlands Council, individuals who had worked aggressively to defeat the Highlands Act. It took more than 30 years to get those regulations passed.

Christie also works to undo Department of Environmental Protection regulations designed to control flooding — prohibiting steep-slope and wetlands development and requiring buffers along waterways. All the water that flows from the Pequannock, Wanaque, Ramapo, Pompton and Saddle rivers and their tributaries eventually reaches the Passaic River. Every time a developer gets permission to build or pave over environmentally sensitive lands in these drainages, it contributes to flooding in the Passaic.

It is not just those unfortunate families living along the Passaic River who are hurt. All taxpayers are called upon to pay for damage to roads and infrastructure.

Isn't it time that we tell Christie that "New Jersey should be a place that is safe to buy a home" rather than "New Jersey is open for business"? Reduce my property taxes by not making me pay to rebuild infrastructure that continually washes away. Reduce my sales tax by not sharing them with shopping malls that no one needs.

If we want to reduce the severity of the floods, let's start by eliminating some of the causes.

Richard E. Malizia Sr.