Police expenditures start at $1.6 million
By: Vic Monaco
HIGHTSTOWN The Borough Council began its annual budget review this week looking at a very early estimate of $387,700 in significant general spending increases along with $1.6 million in potential police-related expenditures, the latter representing an additional hike of about $100,000.
The predicted general increase does not take into account extraordinary state aid, and some requested police expenses could be trimmed or eliminated by the council. On the flip side, the borough has not yet factored in the cost of emergency medical services.
Police Chief James Eufemia met publicly with the council Monday night to explain his 2007 draft budget, which is up from about $1.5 million. It includes an annual payment of $36,435 to lease four new patrol cars over three years along with capital expenditures of $48,000 for a mobile data system and $20,000 for a software package to handle the department’s files.
"The biggest difference is the cars," said the chief, who last year sought three new cars but got none.
Mr. Eufemia said the vehicles are needed largely because four of the fleet’s eight cars have more than 120,000 miles on them. He also said $20,000 in predicted maintenance costs could be cut by almost half by leasing the four cars.
Borough Administrator Candace Gallagher said the leasing cost might be trimmed by working with the Mercer County Improvement Authority, which apparently could obtain a five-year term. Councilman Larry Quattrone, a mechanic by trade, suggested there might be more savings, in price and gas savings, if one of the cars purchased were a four-wheel drive vehicle that could be used by the chief.
Chief Eufemia said the mobile data system would allow officers to access records in their cars, rather than getting information from dispatchers. It also would allow the borough to stop leasing a system from South Brunswick and possibly begin leasing the new hardware to another town, he said. If the purchase were made, he added, the borough would cut in half annual maintenance and airtime costs of $12,000.
The chief said the current software package has been used since 1990.
The purchase of both computer systems would likely be funded through the issuance of bonds.
Of the total $1.6 million earmarked for police-related expenditures, about $1.27 million goes to salaries forged in that new deal (See related story on this page). Of the balance, $121,304 is for 9-1-1 services and $105,119 is for communications.
Last year’s police budget prompted, in large part, the Borough Council to demand that Mayor Bob Patten begin police regionalization talks with East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov. Four such meetings have been held and a fifth is scheduled for next week.
The draft 2007 police budget reflects an expected decrease of $48,000 in overtime costs. The chief said that is the result of a new three-man shift system included in the department’s pending four-year contract, expected to be approved by the council Feb. 5.
Chief Eufemia pointed out Monday that that he is not requesting any new officers but he hopes the East Windsor Regional School District would consider paying for a resource officer at the High School.
He said the recent threat of violence against district schools cost his department about $15,000 in overtime. A Croydon, Pa., man was charged Jan. 19 with sending letters to several school districts and municipal entities threatening violence akin to the October school shootings near Lancaster, Pa.
Schools Superintendent Ron Bolandi said Tuesday that he has told the chief that he is open to asking the school board to pay half the salary of a resource officer if that is a cost the borough is interested in splitting.
Looking at the borough’s overall spending, Ms. Gallagher said she foresees about $616,400 in significant spending increases mitigated by about $228,700 in items that would serve to lower taxes. She later explained that her early analysis is based on estimated line items of $10,000 and higher.
"I’m not giving you a bottom line yet because there are too many things unknown at this time," Ms. Gallagher said to the council. "This is a very, very preliminary place to start right now."
If those early estimates, EMS costs and state aid were to stay the same, and the borough were unable to find any new savings, homeowners would be looking at a local tax rate increase of about 19 cents. That compares to an 18-cent hike in 2006.
Ms. Gallagher said Thursday that such an analysis is "premature or even misleading" at such an early stage in the process.
A penny on the local tax rate is equal to $21,881, according to Ms. Gallagher. That means the $387,700 estimated increase in general spending coupled with a police-spending increase of $100,000 equals about 22 cents on the tax rate. But any tax hike would be mitigated by state aid, which stood at $200,000 in 2006, and that is equal to about 9 cents on the tax rate. And the local rate would be worsened by the cost of EMS services, which was about $131,000 or about 6 cents on the tax rate.
Last year, the borough paid a private firm for EMS services. Mayor Patten recently said significant savings might be seen by entering into an agreement with Washington Township but Ms. Gallagher said those savings would relate to the increased costs foreseen with a private firm.
Other significant spending hikes estimated by Ms. Gallagher include $80,000 in state-mandated pension costs and $70,000 for the final year of reallocating Public Works salaries from the water/sewer budget. There also is a $47,000 shortfall that reflects the borough’s current surplus at $520,000, down from the 2006 surplus of $567,000.
On the positive side of Ms. Gallagher’s list, the borough is anticipating an increase of $102,700 in local revenues and fees. That was mostly accomplished through higher interest rates and municipal court receipts, she said. Also foreseen is a $95,000 hike in delinquent tax receipts. Ms. Gallagher said she got that estimate from the borough’s chief financial officer and did not yet know the reason.
The borough may have a new expenditure of $7,500 for planning related to the Minute Maid property, which was purchased in 2006. But Ms. Gallagher, when asked, said the developer may be asked to make some or all of that contribution.
Also to be discussed at future budget meetings are requests from the Better Beginnings day-care agency and the Community Action Service to raise the borough’s annual funding to $10,000 each, up from $8,500 and $4,000 respectively.
Mayor Patten and Councilman Dave Schneider said they want more information from the two nonprofits relating to their percentage of service to Hightstown residents.
The next public budget meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, following by sessions on Feb. 13 and 26. All the meetings are slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
Ms. Gallagher said the borough faces a March 22 deadline to submit its extraordinary aid request to the state and, for that reason, budget introduction is scheduled for March 19. Local budget approval does not occur until after the aid figures are announced, which is usually in July.

