Plumsted committee makes appointments

TOWN TALK by Ron Dancer

   The Township Committee has appointed Janice Garcia as our new tax collector, replacing Patricia Ziegler, who retired at the end of last year after 16 years. Ms. Garcia was previously employed as the tax collector for Matawan and deputy tax collector for Englishtown.
   In other appointments for the new year, the Township Committee named Cathie Reynolds as assistant treasurer and purchasing agent. Local resident, Susan Cook, was appointed as a clerk/typist and Don Palidino was appointed as a crossing guard.
   Grant Award: The Township Committee has been awarded a $20,855 grant for our Municipal Alliance Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The funding, in part, assists in providing educational, prevention and referral programs.
   Property Tax Relief: In 1999 — the first year of the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Freeze program, which reimburses eligible seniors for all property tax increases above the 1997 level — only an estimated 35,000 of the 150,000 eligible participated. In 2000, even fewer seniors (34,000) participated.
   Assembly Bill 2784, of which I am a co-sponsor, establishes a publicity program for the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Freeze Program that will target the senior-eligible population, which is estimated to have grown this year by 75,000 to 225,000.
   Another tax relief measure I am sponsoring is Assembly Bill 907, which provides a $3,000 deduction from a taxpayer’s gross income to care for an elderly relative in his or her home.
   Meetings and Suggestions: The next regularly scheduled meeting and citizen comment period with Township Committee members Ken Francis, Ada Roberts, Bonnie Quesnel and Deputy Mayor Joe Przywara will be on Feb. 10. Residents can preview our business agenda, to the extent known, 48 hours prior to the meeting on our Web site, www.plumsted.org.
   Meet personally with the mayor at the library on the first Wednesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. The next meeting is Feb. 5.
   Regarding state legislative issues, residents may also contact the staff of Sen. Bob Singer, Assemblyman Joe Malone and myself at the 30th Legislative District office by calling (732) 901-0702.
Ron Dancer is the mayor of Plumsted Township. He can be reached at 758-2241, township; 758-3497, home; or by e-mail at [email protected].