Readington Township has a new bargaining chip in its fight to prevent the Solberg Airport from becoming a noisier, more dangerous neighbor some day.

On Tuesday, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum that authorizes the township to borrow $22 million to buy development rights to airport property and surrounding open space. Voters apparently weren’t comfortable with Thor Solberg’s lukewarm assurances that he and the other owners have no immediate plans to extend the main runway to a length that would accommodate jet traffic. Voters were keenly aware Solberg made no promises about the long term.

Many residents and those connected with Readington Township schools fear that runway expansion would send low-flying jets swooping over homes and nearby public schools, increasing the potential for serious safety hazards and creating constant disruptions in the learning day and the quiet character of the township.

No one likes to pay more in taxes, even in affluent communities such as Readington. The airport’s owners were banking on that argument, hoping voters would view the referendum as a pocketbook issue and deliver a resounding defeat.

Instead, voters opted for the likelihood of paying higher taxes over the possibility of a bustling jetport in their town -- now or in the future.

But this referendum would be an expensive undertaking. With state Green Acres and other funding, it has been estimated that a resident with assessed at $400,000 would pay $60 more a year in property taxes. Without the state funding, the same resident would pay $55 more a year for three years and $165 more a year for 17 years.

Before the vote, Thor Solberg held out hope that the airport might be willing to limit any future main runway expansion to a length that’s acceptable to the township.

Armed with Tuesday’s mandate from voters, township leaders must return to the bargaining table and renew efforts to forge a workable, less-expensive solution that serves both the airport and the township.

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© 2006 The Express-Times.

Date: May 18, 2006 Source: PennLive.com
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