City won’t support county Highlands lawsuit

Mayor David Del Vecchio called the planned suit "a political statement that has no chance of winning."

By: Linda Seida
   LAMBERTVILLE — The City Council voted Tuesday to withhold support for a planned county lawsuit that will seek to overturn the state’s Highlands preservation law.
   "The lawsuit is really a political statement that has no chance of winning," Mayor David Del Vecchio said.
   He called the lawsuit, which Hunterdon County freeholders have not filed yet, "a waste of money."
   The vote was unanimous, with Steven Stegman, Frank Kramer Jr., Cynthia Ege and Mayor Del Vecchio opposing the lawsuit. Council President John McManus was absent.
   Mayor Del Vecchio said he did not want to see the county pay money for a lawsuit he thinks has little chance to succeed.
   "The winner is going to be the lawyer that handles the case. The loser is going to be the county taxpayers," Mayor Del Vecchio said.
   The freeholders contend the lawsuit seeking to amend the Highlands Act is necessary because the law usurps municipalities’ home rule and zoning powers. Warren County has agreed to join Hunterdon County when it files the lawsuit.
   The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act became law in August. The law’s goal is to preserve the Highlands area in northern New Jersey by protecting remaining areas of open space and the drinking water supply for about five million residents. The Highlands include 1,250 square miles in parts of 88 municipalities in seven counties.
   The council vote came after little public comment. One of the few who did comment was Al Komjathy, chairman of the Lambertville Sewerage Authority. Mr. Komjathy noted the law had "overwhelming" bipartisan support among state lawmakers.
   "It’s very rare, especially today, that there’s that kind of bipartisan support. It’s overwhelming," he said.
   Mr. Komjathy noted the law passed by a vote of 68 to 10 in the state Assembly and 37 to 2 in the Senate.
   "The freeholders are very misinformed," Mr. Komjathy said.
   Mayor Del Vecchio has said he does not want to see taxes raised because of a county lawsuit. Tuesday, he repeated a comparison of county and city tax figures he first cited last week.
   According to Mayor Del Vecchio, in 1991 the county collected $856,000 in taxes from city residents while the city collected $966,000. In 2004, those numbers had risen to $1.9 million for the county and $1,068,000 for the city.