Are open space funds being spent properly?

I seriously question whether or not "open-space funds" are being spent wastefully. Three past expenditures of openspace funds make me wonder if tax dollars were wasted.

The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders purchased the Runyon Watershed from Perth Amboy at a cost of $12 million. The reason given for making the purchase was to prevent the land from being developed. The very fact that it was designated as a watershed prevented any development from taking place on that land.

East Brunswick purchased Heavenly Farms from the developer at a cost of $14 million. The reason given by the mayor for the purchase was to prevent the developer from building homes that would result in increased school taxes. The mayor wanted to keep taxes down. As I see it, he didn't keep taxes down, and his actions really cost the taxpayers money.

If the developer was permitted to build the 32 $1-million homes, and the homes averaged 1 ½ children per home, there would have been 48 additional children attending schools. At $12,000 per pupil, the total cost to the township would have been $576,000 per year. This cost would have been offset by the $20,000 in property taxes paid by each home, or a total of $640,000, of which 60 percent is for education. The amount these homes would contribute to education would be $384,000. The net cost to East Brunswick would have been $192,000 per year. For 13 years, which would be the maximum time the children would attend school, the total loss to the township would amount to $2.5 million.

Did it make any sense to spend $14 million to save only $2.5 million over a 13-year period? I don't think so. After the 13- year period, the property taxes on these homes would pay back the $2.5 million in seven years. Taxpayers didn't save any money by purchasing Heavenly Farms.

Questions should be raised as to why the freeholders provided $3 million of open-space money to the State Theatre in New Brunswick. The theater, as I understand it, is not attended by the general public.

The above examples of the use of "open-space funds" that do not serve the purposes given for the expenditure make me question the intentions of our elected officials.

Frank J. Coury

East Brunswick