By GREGORY J. VOLPE
Gannett State Bureau
TRENTON
Though voters rejected a proposal to borrow $450 million over 10 years for stem-cell research, New Jersey officials say they will proceed with backing the science.
Voters Tuesday rejected the measure, 53 percent to 47 percent, which many took as a sign of frustration with the heavy borrowing pushed by Trenton politicians.
South Jersey residents were split sharply on the proposal.
Camden County voters approved the measure by 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent, while Gloucester County residents rejected it by virtually the same margin, according to unofficial results.
Burlington County residents narrowly approved it, 50.6 percent to 49.3 percent. Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Wednesday that he thinks voters are demanding that the state’s finances be put in order before taking on the project but will not halt plans to borrow $270 million to build stem-cell research facilities throughout the state.
“I believe there are enough dollars for research,” Corzine said. “And I believe there are opportunities to share with the private sector these facilities, and our universities as well, that will make this viable as we go forward.”
The Legislature’s Joint Budget Oversight Committee was set to sign off today on borrowing $25 million for predevelopment costs of the facilities at a meeting that was postponed without explanation Wednesday.
“We need to slam on the brakes,” said Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, R-Monmouth. “The public has spoken it loud and clear, and I’m sorry that the governor and Senate president don’t seem to have heard that message.”
“The first thing we should do is stop construction on these research buildings,” said Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan, whose group Americans for Prosperity was a vocal opponent of the ballot measure. “And put that money toward cutting people’s taxes.” Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, D-Camden, vice chairman of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, said the construction might proceed but that lawmakers need to determine whether the research question failed because of moral or financial reasons. If moral objections toppled the proposal, Greenwald said, research could be funded without using embryonic cells, which social conservatives equate to abortion.
“We need to be respectful of the voters and not come off as looking arrogant as if we know more than they do,” Greenwald said. “We need to get a better understanding of what was the rationale behind the vote. Are they against spending more money, or are they against a more controversial portion of stem-cell?”
Corzine said the state has more than $10 million in this year’s operating budget to fund research grants. Lawmakers could fund more research though a line item in the fiscal year 2009 budget, through private sources or by placing another question before voters—possibly next fall, when turnout will be high and the electorate will be focused on the presidential election.
Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, D-Camden also support moving forward.
Gannett State Bureau
Gregory J. Volpe
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