New Jerseyans have rejected an initiative that would have directed $450 million of taxpayers' money to fund stem cell research in the state over ten years. The measure was defeated in a ballot by a 53 per cent majority. The shock result came as a surprise to Democrats who felt confident the measure would pass after polls indicated majority support for stem cell research.
Governor Jon Corzine, who has himself donated $150,000 to the research, said that the vote revealed a sense of dissatisfaction among citizens over the fiscal situation in the debt-encumbered state. 'They've told us to resolve our alarming and pressing financial problems', Corzine said, before more public funds are spent. Yet this explanation sits uneasily with the decision by the environmentally aware voters to approve $200 million to preserve open space in the state. Commentators have pointed out that the $450 million figure may come across as disproportionately high when compared to the lack of immediate gains made in stem cell research, which has yet to prove its full therapeutic worth. The New York Sun ran an editorial explaining the New Jersey vote by a reluctance amongst citizens to approve measures that direct taxpayers' money to research not even fully backed by investors in Wall Street - a state already feeling the strain of tax burdens may be unwilling to make further risky investments.
Stem cell supporters in New Jersey now have the option of reintroducing a similar measure, along with a more effective publicity campaign highlighting the financial gains from funding stem cell research in the state, or attempting to attract more private investment through the pharmaceutical sector. 'At some point in time, we'll come back to voters [with] a smaller amount of money, when state finances are in better shape', said State Senate President and former Governor, Richard Codey. Corzine also remained upbeat: 'There's still a favourable view about stem cell research [in New Jersey]', he told a news conference, but added that the private sector may be required to play a greater role. 'I do expect that we will be able to find additional dollars in the private sector for our research institutions. We need to go out and make sure we get private resources', he said.
New Jersey has already invested heavily in stem cell research. Prior to the vote, Corzine commenced the building of the $150 million Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey. Concerns have been raised that the defeat of the funding measure will send the wrong message to investors and researchers looking to come to New Jersey. More worrying still, says Neil Cohen, draftsman of the defeated measure, is that New Jersey may lose out in the race with California to carry out publicly funded stem cell research. 'That money's not going to be there, which means the brain power may go to California, which put $3 billion into stem cell research. They're going to go where the dollars are', he said. 'I think this sends out a bad message to the Fortune 500 companies that want to engage New Jersey. They're looking to go to a new Silicon Valley that deals with stem cell research, and New Jersey will lose that opportunity, and patients will lose', he added.
Robert Klein, who oversees the management of California's $3 billion public investment in stem cell research, said that the defeat in New Jersey was a setback for stem cell research in general. 'Every time the resource is denied to this research is tragic', he said, adding that 'for California to carry the leadership for a great part of the nation alone is a monumental task'.
Sources and References
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New Jersey Democrats Grapple With Rebuke of Stem Cell Initiative
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Stem-cell signal
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New Jersey Voters Defeat Stem Cell Measure
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Corzine downplays stem cell defeat
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