Tax Burden In Light of Accelerated Economic Distress
MIDDLETOWN – Middletown Township Mayor Pam Brightbill (R), Deputy Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger (R) and Committeeman Tony Fiore (R) today unveiled a plan to reduce Township spending and taxes in preparation for continued economic decline, including suspending the entire Township Committee’s salaries for FY2009.
“We know that taxpayers are having to make difficult sacrifices in these tough economic times and we are prepared to do so ourselves,” stated Middletown Mayor Pam Brightbill. “Therefore, we are immediately proposing the following cost saving measures for FY2009:
(1) Suspend the entire Township Committee’s salaries;
(2) Freeze all non-essential hiring not required by law;
(3) Freeze all union and non-union salaries;
(4) Evaluate all non-essential, non-revenue generating programs for elimination;
(5) Seek out additional shared service arrangements;
(6) Sell surplus township property and assets;
(7) Eliminate all non-essential Township subscriptions and dues payments; and
(8) Eliminate all conference and travel expenses unless required by law for continuing education requirements.”
“Middletown Township has long been recognized for its conservative budgetary policies and will continue to look for innovative ways to cut spending,” added Deputy Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger. “Unfortunately, each year we fall deeper into the hole due to an endless stream of unfunded mandates imposed upon us by the Corzine Administration, such as COAH, whereby the only viable funding source, non-residential development fees, are now being cut too.”
“The Township must take extraordinary action to help defray the overwhelming burden on taxpayers during these difficult economic times,” continued Committeeman Fiore. “The suspension of our Township Committee salaries is just one of many aggressive steps we are willing to take to reduce the burdens placed on Middletown’s taxpayers.”
“While government entities throughout New Jersey have uniformly grown over the last decade, Middletown has reduced its workforce between 2001 to 2009 from 351 full-time employees to 338, representing one of the lowest employee-to-resident ratios in the State,” concluded Brightbill. “Our continued objective is to provide the best possible services to Middletown taxpayers at the most minimal expense regardless of whether times are good or bad.”
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26 comments:
Yeah Middletown!
These guys get it. Too bad they live in New Jersey. The problem isn't their puny stipend - it's Corzine, Roberts, and Doria's socialist programs. Cut out COAH, Abbott funding, subsidized pre-school, FMLA and the towns would be able to cut taxes by a third.
Another example of why nobody can give a place in NJ where Democrats are doing a better job than the Republicans in Middletown.
did the GOP Freeholds vote to cut their salaries last year?
Well, it is a good start, but it probably doesn't amount to much money. As a political stunt it is brilliant.
If you're asking twp employees to take a hit, you should to. To do otherwise would be immoral.
I don't think it is the amount that matters, it's the fact that they are doing it in the first place. On another note, who in their right mind would do that job for 4 grand a year?
who in their right mind would do that job for 4 grand a year?
A public servant with the best interests of his or her community in mind.
stopthesocialists said...
"I don't think it is the amount that matters, it's the fact that they are doing it in the first place."
so, would that include the extra $310,000 tax dollars their spending for the other township attorney?
or maybe its the $ millions they've spent on the performing arts building.
Yeah, I can see they're doing something alright... they're blowing smoke over the voters / taxpayers... thats it!!!
Just curious anonymous, how are they spending an "extra" $310,000 on legal bills?
The $310k extra you elude to is a fabrication by the same guy who is in favor of cutting kids programs but not a dollar from himself. If you exclude tax appeals this year you'll see that the legal bills will probably decrease for the same services provided last year.
Oh, by the way, I've noticed that no one responded to the "wasted monies for the performing arts.
I can wait to see how you guys spin this one.
The Republicans on the township committee: Saving pennies, spending millions...
Oh, by the way, I've noticed that no one responded to the "wasted monies for the performing arts.
I can wait to see how you guys spin this one.
Here's your spin: Tell me of one other municipality in New Jersey where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans are doing in Middletown.
I don't agree with every decision they have made. I would not have done the Art's Center project, the swim club or sold the cell tower leases. I wouldn't have a kangaroo court called a Human Rights Commission either. But you have to look at the whole picture.
I pay property taxes in three Monmouth County towns. I have lived in eight different NJ towns in 4 different counties. Middletown does an outstanding job. The best, hands down.
Yeah, and it is just like a typical Caliendo whiner to change the subject rather than applaud when the Republicans are doing the right thing.
No spin genius, here's my take on the arts center. The choice was simple - either let N.J. Transit build a double decker parking garage, or buy the property for the first indoor recreation facility in over 25 years. Now the town has a facility that serves little kids, seniors and everyone in between. According to a recent article, the center is way ahead of its time table for self-sufficiency. The Dems conveniently forget that Green Acres funds and about one million in donations also went into it. The funny thing is, the hapless Democrats are so desperate for an issue, they can't let this go. Instead, they attack a facility that is enjoyed by thousands every year, is surpassing all income projections and also has the 9/11 Memorial Gardens. Only the lowlife Middletown Dems could attack that.
Hey Art, do you have any idea how hard it is to be a Democrat in Middletown? First of all, their stable of candidates looks like a casting call for One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Second, the town is named one of the top 100 places to live in the country. The town has one of the lowest employee/resident ratios in the state. They are held up as a model by just about every organization in the state, including COAH. All under Republican leadership. What do the Dems do? Look to cut out Middletown Day.
It's amazing Art.
How did you get a hold of a press release and publish it before the "Fibber" presented Short's and Byrnes's recommendations to the committee as his own?
The meeting last night went on until 11:30 and the comments from the committee members hadn't started until 10:40
Anonymous said...
It's amazing Art.
How did you get a hold of a press release and publish it before the "Fibber" presented Short's and Byrnes's recommendations to the committee as his own?
The meeting last night went on until 11:30 and the comments from the committee members hadn't started until 10:40
You are easily amazed.
Art, I don't know when the last time you went to one of the T.C. meetings, but it's better than anything on T.V. There is one guy, a diehard Democrat, who looks like one of the cavemen on the Geico commercials. This guy was once arrested for stealing campaign signs and lying to the cops. Any other normal person would be ashamed to come out of the house. This guy gets up and lectures the committee. I overheard Caliendo giving him directions out in the hall at one of the meetings. This is the kind of garbage that passes for Democrat politics in this town. No wonder Short fits in so well.
I love the comments on these Middletown posts. :-)
If Andrew B is reading, give me a call, 732-208-2240.
Short and Byrnes are the essence of self-serving public servants. Here they call for cuts to all programs in town from the Holiday Train Ride to Middletown Day and when called to step up to take their own pay cut they balk. Yet it's ok to hire more staff for the clerk so that Peppermint Pat can read resolutions online the day of the meeting because it's an idea they came up with.
Truly amazin'.
Seriously the Middletown posts really do have the best/most entertaining comments.
I can't believe a Democrat called an Art's Center waste..I wonder what he would call 50 million (or was it billion?) to the National Endowment of the Arts in the Pork-u-lus Bill.
Now Tell Art and all of us of one other municipality in New Jersey where Democrats are doing a better job governing than Republicans are doing in Middletown.
The Middletown Arts center, I believe, actually generates nearly $250k a year through the nonprofit that primarily runs it.
I agree with "who in their right mind would do this job for $4000." I think they should be paid more. That being said, this is a good start at trying to keep the property taxes somewhat stable. The five members need to do their job on this budget along with the administrator & dept. heads. People are all looking to cut where ever it can be, yet some people are saying hire someone for the clerks office to post resolutions on the web! How stupid is this idea if it is a time consuming issue!. Alot of people do not have computers. Just make some copies and post them outside the clerks office the day of the meeting and when the clerk has a chance post them on the web. I would hope that the township committee, the board of education and the county freeholders would do all they can to keep out taxes as low as possible. Lets see when the budgets from all three come out, which one go's up the most. Then we can go from there as to why are they raising our taxes so much. Andrew Bane
Art – if imitation is the greatest form of flattery – then Pat Walsh must be very fond of you! Did you see that she has a blog called “Middletown Musings”?
Art – if imitation is the greatest form of flattery – then Pat Walsh must be very fond of you! Did you see that she has a blog called “Middletown Musings”?
Pat ♥'s me.
That's pretty funny.
Sad, that's she's still fighting the campaign. You would think she would want to put it behind her.
Art,
Talk about still fighting the campaign - at the last T.C. meeting, the ever unstable Jim Whatshisname blasted Mr. Fiore over things he allegedly said during the campaign. How much of a trouncing do you need before you begin wearing large sunglasses and an upturned collar to avoid recognition, no less staying away from consistently making fools of yourselves at public meetings?
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