By: centraljersey.com
Last year the Mayor and Council raised taxes about 8 cents, this was a tremendous increase.
They spent much of the year blaming the State and laying off valued employees, a good number of which live in town, rather than developing creative ideas and honestly soliciting citizen input into this budget crisis.
Currently the Mayor and Council are considering more layoffs for AFSCME members our most vulnerable union, and are still looking at another 8 cent increase.
Amazing.
Councilman Joseph Camorrata is suggesting Departments become profit centers.
This idea of increasing fees for the services we provide was presented by the Republicans years ago.
Well, much of the services that are fee based are services we use, so we would just be switching paying taxes for paying fees. How does this help us?
What we could consider is revamping the programs that started when I was Mayor.
What worked then, may not be what we need today.
Take the open space trust fund.
Former Councilman Edmund Luciano and I fought as minority members of that council to have an open space trust fund, it was critical for slowing the town’s runaway growth at the time.
In 1996 under Mayor Ted VanHessen , an open space trust fund was established after the town voted to have some of our tax money set aside.
The organization of the fund, and open space committee began in 1997 when I first served as mayor, and in subsequent years open space was purchased. This fund was critical at that time for our community.
However, I believe that a new ballot question should be presented to us.
I think this administration should consider either freezing the open space trust fund for a few years, and saving us taxes that way, or lessening the amount collected for the fund if it is necessary to keep some money in the fund for maintenance purposes.
The council should have facts shared with citizens well in advance of the vote and encourage meaningful debate.
A ballot question concerning the open space trust fund is critically necessary at this time, most of us simply cannot afford these very large tax increases.
Debra Johnson Kendall Park AARP says thank you to governor
To the Editor:
AARP commends Gov. Christie for supporting a budget for the state’s two pharmaceutical assistance programs, PAAD and Senior Gold.
Because of health care reform, the state is able to increase efficiency through coordinating PAAD and Senior Gold with Medicare Part D. The resulting savings allow New Jersey to continue full funding for both programs without any reduction in eligibility or benefits. In other words, the state saves money while vulnerable disabled and older adults who rely on pharmaceutical assistance are not hurt in the process.
Efficiencies include increased enrollment of PAAD beneficiaries into Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy, which covers almost all of their prescription costs. In addition, drug manufacturers will cover half the cost of many drugs; this reduces the doughnut hole that pharmaceutical assistance programs must pay.
On behalf of our almost 1.3 million members in New Jersey, we thank Gov. Christie for setting the standard for other states. While he could have reduced funding or cut the two programs altogether, as some states are considering, he chose a plan which would balance the state’s need to close the budget deficit with its desire to protect its most vulnerable citizens. Thank you, governor! Marilyn Askin AARP chief legislative advocate Plainsboro
