Lawrence residents fear tax rate increase

Police request for more manpower declined.

By: Lea Kahn
   Two township residents spoke out Tuesday, calling on Township Council to reconsider its proposed 9-cent municipal property tax rate increase to support the proposed $35.1 million municipal budget for 2005.
   Meanwhile, a Police Department request for additional manpower was turned down during the planning stages of the budget, Township Council said this week.
   The municipal property tax rate would jump from 56 cents per $100 of assessed value to 65 cents. For the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $163,000, this would result in a tax bill of $1,060 in municipal taxes — a $147 increase over the 2004 tax bill of $913.
   Bonnie Galloway of Cobblestone Way told Township Council that she was concerned about the "rapid" increases in the property tax rate. She pointed to the lag in investment income, and the 2 to 3 percent interest on certificates of deposit that investors may earn.
   Ms. Galloway said her concern is how property owners will deal with double-digit increases in property taxes. Homeowners have mortgages to pay, as well as car loans and tuition payments that are due. She added that it’s not just Township Council that is raising property taxes — it’s the school board, too.
   "Where are we going to get the money to pay this year," Ms. Galloway asked Township Council. "What are we going to tell our children — there will be no vacation, no McDonald’s, no pizza?"
   Linda Dlabik, who lives on Lawrence Road, asked Township Council to consider laying off more highly paid township employees, rather than the "low man on the totem pole." The lower-paid employees, such as the Department of Public Works employees, are the first ones to be cut, she said.
   Ms. Dlabik said that in some instances, a highly paid township employee’s annual salary increase amounts to more than the entire salary of a lower paid township worker.
   Mayor Pam Mount replied that Township Council is still reviewing the proposed municipal budget, and that no decision has been made whether to lay off municipal workers.
   Meanwhile, Township Council continued its review of the proposed budget. Health Officer Carol Chamberlain presented the department’s annual report to the council, and Chief of Police Daniel Posluszny and Deputy Chief Joseph Prettyman offered a report on the Police Department.
   Ms. Chamberlain said the Health Department is made up of herself, two health inspectors, two part-time nurses, the animal control officer, the registrar of vital statistics and clerical support.
   With that staff, the township Health Department carries out a wide range of duties, including inspections of two dozen public swimming pools and 273 food establishments — among other responsibilities, Ms. Chamberlain said.
   The Lawrence Township Police Department, by contrast, has 70 sworn police officers — including the police chief and the deputy chief. Of the 70 officers, 42 are assigned to the Patrol Division. The staff also includes 15 civilian employees — nine dispatchers and the remainder are clerical staff.
   Chief Posluszny said the number of calls for service — whether it’s a request to check out a suspicious person in the neighborhood or a response to a crime — had grown from 52,458 in 2003 to 58,634 last year. That represents a 12 percent increase, he said.
   Deputy Chief Prettyman said the department asked for the addition of four police officers as a result of the increased number of calls, but that request was turned down by Municipal Manager William Guhl when he put the budget together.
   Mr. Guhl told the council that the Police Department can justify the request for more manpower, but for economic reasons it could not be honored. It was not easy to deny the request, he said.
   Township Council has scheduled another budget review session for Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Municipal Building. Superintendent of Recreation Steven Groeger and Department of Public Works Director Greg Whitehead are expected to review their departments for the council.