By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
CRANBURY — Budgets and revenue were up for discussion as the candidates running for Township Committee weighed in on where the township stands and what direction it needs to be going.
Democrat John Ritter and Republican Wyn Cody are vying for one, three-year seat on the Township Committee. Election Day is Nov. 4.
Mr. Ritter said that although Cranbury residents have the lowest tax rate in Middlesex County, he understands that a recent property revaluation has had a major impact on local taxpayers.
One problem, he said, is that the revaluation occurred at the height of the housing market.
If it turns out that residential properties have decreased in value more than commercial properties, officials can come up with a “compliance plan,” which would decrease the residential valuation offering some financial relief to local tax payers, he said.
”The Cranbury tax assessor is evaluating whether this can be done for 2009,” he said. Where the township may have looked at new developments to increase revenue in the past, Cranbury will now have to look elsewhere, as these developments can have a negative financial impact on Cranbury by increasing its affordable housing obligations, he said.
”Our best opportunity for containing property taxes will be in increasing grants and funding sources,” he said. “The township has been good at seeking out grants and at developing relationships with sources of grants. The Middlesex freeholders, for example, have been supportive of Cranbury and we need to maintain and strengthen that relationship to make sure that Cranbury receives our fair share of county funding.”
Although Mr. Ritter said he hasn’t seen much “fat” in the budget, he still recommends officials go through the budget with a “fine-toothed comb.”
There may be other alternatives for saving money outside of the municipal budget as well, he said.
”I would also encourage the school to do an energy audit and seek as many grants and contributions as possible to hold down school costs,” Mr. Ritter said.
Mr. Ritter said he doesn’t anticipate any large capital expenditures for 2009, but added the township finding grant money to cover their recent construction of the Babe Ruth baseball field on the West Property was a good strategy.
Mr. Cody said he recommend that the township should use a zero based budget, justifying each expense line-item by line-item.
”We need to be productive,” Mr. Cody said. “We need to try to limit our budget. Our taxes have risen too fast for some people.”
He said the township should re-evaluate the money it pays for consultants. He said an alternative to consultants would be educated residents.
Mr. Cody said officials need to continue to seek out both state and county grants. He said the township is paying into these funds and should be recouping more money for its various projects.
Mr. Cody said capital expenditure projects, such as a freestanding library or land acquisitions, should be put on a referendum.
”For capital expenditures we really need more public feedback,” he said. “Was the (Babe Ruth) baseball field necessary? Maybe, maybe not. But we need more feedback from the public.”
While commercial properties may have been a source of revenue in the past, with these same developments now generating affordable housing obligations, Mr. Cody said it might be time to re-evaluate Cranbury’s Master Plan.
”I think that the Master Plan in its initial plan was good,” he said. “But now we need to look carefully at the formula and numbers.”

