Yogesh Kher, West Windsor
I was surprised when, during the Township Council debate, George Borek said “none of us sitting on the dais wants to raise our own taxes.” In the eight years he’s been on council, Mr. Borek has voted to raise our taxes SIX times. And this year he didn’t even show up for the budget vote at all.
And West Windsor newcomer Ayesha Hamilton’s lack of understanding of financial matters during the debate was disconcerting. She mentioned several times that she would raise taxes in order to keep the fund balance high. Financial experts will tell you that we don’t need an excessively high fund balance to preserve financial flexibility and maintain our AAA bond rating.
Our township’s financial strength comes from the fact that high wage earners and businesses are attracted to the fundamental assets of our community, including top-rated schools and easy access to transportation. Taxes should be raised only as a last resort to support essential services and operations for our community, not to maintain fund balances at arbitrarily high levels. Hijacking residents’ money simply isn’t necessary.
Bottom line: if you want higher taxes, you know who to vote for.
For me, I’m supporting Marathe, Manzari, and Halloran. They have the financial experience required to successfully lead our town without breaking the bank.
Yogesh Kher
West Windsor
