Right now, Congress is considering tax reform bills that will either eliminate or significantly reduce the Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC). The HTC is the most significant federal financial commitment to historic preservation. Over the last 36 years, the credit has created 2.5 million jobs, leveraged $130 billion in investment, and rehabilitated more than 42,000 buildings – all while generating enough in federal taxes to pay for itself. In New Jersey alone, we have seen over $1 billion in HTC supported development – helping to restore significant resources like the Hahne & Co Building in Newark, the Landis Theater in Vineland, and the Quarry Street School in Princeton. Saving this vital federal program, as well as advocating for a New Jersey HTC program are ongoing priorities of PNJ in 2017 and into the coming year.
Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, Preservation New Jersey has been able to hire an Executive Director, launch a new website, provide more frequent communications to members and stakeholders, coordinate advocacy campaigns with our partners, and offer more educational programming. We look forward in 2018 to bolstering our 10 Most Endangered Historic Places in NJ program with additional support to grassroots organizers, increasing our advocacy efforts to allocate more state and federal resources to historic preservation, and to work with our partners as we launch planning efforts around the nation’s 250th anniversary.
New Jersey enjoys a tremendous wealth of historic resources – 58 National Historic Landmarks in 17 different counties, numerous historic districts, and thousands of local sites – making our built environment an integral reason to why New Jersey is a unique place. Despite federal and state legislation and programs offering protection, there are countless historic resources being threatened with loss. Without your continued support for PNJ, some of the most beautiful, important, and poignant places in New Jersey would no longer be here for future generations to cherish and experience. Your support of PNJ today is crucial to making state-wide preservation initiatives happen.
Please take a moment today to make a tax-deductible contribution to Preservation New Jersey. Your help offers Preservation New Jersey the opportunity and resources to combat the ever-dwindling funding for historic preservation and to campaign on behalf of historic resources that are threatened. Together, we can continue to work as a community to protect and preserve our rich heritage.
Thank you for making a difference so that New Jersey is “someplace,” not “anyplace.”
Respectfully yours,
Scot D. Pannepacker
President