CAMPAIGN CORNER: Committee has been fiscally responsible

Frank DelCore

This week’s edition of my Campaign Corner focuses on the topic of fiscal responsibility.  Given the economic climate across the nation, taxpayers expect that all levels of government will be effective stewards of their tax dollars.  I strongly believe that in Hillsborough, the Township Committee and I have delivered on our pledge to be fiscally responsible.

 

Since the beginning of my term on the Township Committee, I have consistently preached that we must take a business like approach to local government, and that is exactly what we have done.  Each of the last three years, we have delivered budgets that limit the size and cost of local governments in order to hold down the municipal government portion of your property taxes (which accounts for only about 14 percent of your total bill).

 

The business like approach has been manifested in many ways.  First and foremost, we continue to run one of the most efficient municipal governments in our region.  

 

Despite the fact that Hillsborough continues to grow as a community, we have approximately 10 percent less full time employees working for the local government today than we did in 2001 (155 vs. 173).  For the 2010 budget, we once again reduced the number of full time budgeted positions, the fourth consecutive year that we have reduced the municipal budgeted positions.  In addition, in order to operate as efficiently as possible, we seek to combine positions or utilize part-time rather than full time employees, to minimize the impact of benefits and pensions.  The township has not provided benefits to part-time appointees for several years, despite the false claims to the contrary by my opponent.

 

As I pledged to do when I first ran for office, I take great pride in a being a “financial watchdog” for the township’s budget as I believe that the Township Committee has an ongoing obligation to reduce costs and find budget savings wherever possible.   This year, we reduced  60 budget line items as compared to their 2009 levels for a savings of $1.278 million.  In fact, 48 line items were reduced below 2007 levels. 

 

This activity culminated in a budget in 2010 that reduced spending by $165,000 as compared to 2009.  This is the first municipal budget in 20 years that reduced spending from the prior year, and is an accomplishment of which my colleagues and I are quite proud.  It should be noted that we delivered this budget, despite the reduction of more than $800,000 in state aid this year.

 

The 2010 budget process was positively affected by the difficult, but meaningful, negotiations that we conducted with all of our employees unions and groups.  The budget savings from employee givebacks, salary freezes and reductions totaled nearly $300,000 for 2010.

 

The end result of the negotiated concessions was that we were able to avoid both layoffs and cuts in vital municipal services and programs.  I have the highest regard for our employee unions and employee groups for working with the township to allow us to deliver a reduction in spending for 2010. 

 

During my terms as mayor, we have also continued to hold down taxes by refusing to borrow for routine capital improvements and operating expenses and ensuring that we follow a “pay-as-you-go” approach to capital spending.  We also refused to go along with then-Gov. Corzine’s scheme of borrowing money now to pay pension obligations later.  Borrowing for pension payments is simply not a prudent or responsible financial action. 

 

Furthermore, under my watch, we have also continued on an aggressive debt reduction plan.  Since the plans initiation in 2006, we have reduced our long term debt by more than $2.8 million, and as a result, have saved the taxpayers more than $140,000 in interest payments.

 

Since I was selected by the voters to serve on the Township Committee three years ago, my colleagues and I have worked diligently to run local government in a business-like fashion, and be watchdogs of every tax dollar.  Not many NJ municipalities this year can claim that they (1) received meaningful concessions from all their unions, and (2) delivered a budget that spent less than 2009, without impacting municipal services and programs.  I am very proud of that accomplishment.  If re-elected, you have my commitment that I will continue to provide that level of financial stewardship for our township.

 

If you would like to learn more about my background and my entire platform, please visit my website, www.HillsboroughGOP.com.  I hope I have earned your trust these past three years and I ask for your support on Nov. 2nd.  

Frank DelCore is the Republican candidate for the Towsnhip Committee.