I have one question for Jackson Mayor Mike Reina and the members of the Jackson Township Council: Where are my property taxes being spent?
I have lived in Jackson since 1988. During the past 22 years, my taxes have nearly quadrupled, yet township “services” continue to decrease.
“Annual” leaf collection has become a joke. I fully expect bulk item pickup, which I have had occasion to use on very few occasions, to follow suit. Township offices are now closed on Fridays, while township employees are forced to take unpaid furlough days.
Recycling collection is now going to be bi-weekly, and we have to pay to replace the containers, which are lucky to survive the battering they receive during pickups.
Everyone is aware that we had a ridiculous amount of snowfall (on Dec. 26-27) and Jackson was, quite literally, in the eye of the storm.
The fact that Chandler Road was plowed only once near the end of the storm (or perhaps early the next morning), and in only one direction, barely one lane wide, is annoying, but understandable.
The fact that I had to shovel out from the end of my driveway not just the distance from the curb to the shoulder line, but 13 feet, was annoying as well. In addition, I cleared the 13 feet out from my mailbox to the plowed road area, and also shoveled approximately 15 feet from my driveway to the mailbox so the mail carrier could access the box for delivery.
Imagine my stunned surprise when, at 4 a.m. Dec. 29, a plow came through and covered not only my driveway, but the entire area I cleared for mail delivery.
Had the initial plowing been to the shoulder (not to the edge of the road, which I do not expect), I would have had to reshovel the shoulder area, which I understand. But remember, we had to shovel out an additional 13 feet from the driveway, all of which was covered, 2 to 3 feet deep, with hard packed snow and ice. Now we come to the best part of my story. When my husband called the Department of Public Works to complain, he was told point-blank that Chandler Road was plowed on Dec. 28 at 9 p.m.
This would almost have been believable, except the trucks woke us up when they came by at 4 a.m. Dec. 29 and my husband and I watched them as they went past the house.
In addition, my daughter arrived home from work at 9:30 p.m. Dec. 28 and would have gotten stuck in the driveway in her HyundaiAccent. Perhaps township employees should refrain from making any statements to callers; then they won’t get caught in an outright lie.
After 22 years, I think I have finally reached my limit. Why am I paying the salaries of anyone who can’t be bothered to do a good job? Why am I paying for no township services whatsoever?
If everyone living on Chandler Road pooled our resources, we could have hired snow removal for the entire road. It would have been done right the first time, and we would not be outside re-shoveling.
Unfortunately, when I drove around Jackson (several days after the storm), it looks like snow removal was not done very well anywhere in the township, and my story could be that of almost any resident of Jackson.
In closing, again I ask you: where are my property taxes being spent? And don’t give me the old standby answer about the majority of my taxes going to the schools, etc. I didn’t get my money’s worth from those either, and I am specifically asking about the taxes spent by the township of Jackson. Betty R. Stana Jackson