Depressed In Edgewater Park

I think we who criticized the Beverly Free Library Board actions concerning the way they handled the rental of the old pharmacy, have made our point on how the bad decisions and the attempted cover up of those decisions, hurt the Library, the public and the community in general.

Time to move on to a very depressing troubling development in Edgewater Park.

This depressing development is the fact and my prediction, that in the upcoming election for two township committee seats, the past record of the incumbent Committeeman Pullion will not stop him from being reelected.

Nine Year Committeeman Tom Pullion

Gee why is he smirking?

I will be doing a multi-part post article on the record of Committeeman Pullion, who is seeking reelection to township committee this November.

The voters of Edgewater Park have reelected Committeeman Pullion twice and he has served for nine years on township Committee. Of those nine years, Committeeman Pullion's party (Democrat) has had township committee control for eight of those years.

I will expose the record of those eight years to see if you think he deserves another three years on township committee.

I will have a Blog Poll on this question and would like very much to encourage your comments concerning Committeeman Pullion's record as your representative, and manager of your tax dollars.

Edgewater Park voters in the past, usally never voted for the party candidate in local elections, but for the person based on his/her record, no matter what the voters party affiliation was. Edgewater Park was known for its ticket splitting. Sadly this is no longer true as the past several elections have shown.

Part One: Ten Year Edgewater Park Local Purpose Property Tax Record; Committeeman Pullion's Legacy

We have had one party control for the past nine out of ten years. During this time, our municipal tax has increased 74.5%, from $557.53 per year for an average home, to $973.15 for the same average home. This 74.5% increase is the largest percentage increase of any of the taxes that make up your property tax bill, including the school district which went up 40.2% during the same time.

Did you receive a 74.5% increase in pay from your 1998 wages?

So this begs the question, why are you going to reelect a committeeman who voted to raise taxes 74.5% during the nine years he has been on committee? Your continued support for the reelection of a committeeman who has proven that he is not capable of good management of your hard earned tax dollars, will guarantee that our town will end up like Willingboro, Beverly, and Pennsauken.

These towns were once lovely, thriving and wonderful communities to raise a family and now are communities people avoid moving to if they can afford it. This disdain is reflected in the prices of the homes sold in those communities, verses the prices of homes in the communities right next door. To check this just simply check out the real estate section of the newspapers.

Of course you will hear how committeeman Pullion's taxes also increased, but how he had no choice but to support the tax increases, because to do otherwise would have decreased municipal services. If this is true, then how come our municipal services have not improved by 74.5% ?

In today's 10/5/08 BCT front page article "Property taxes in 30 towns increase" it states that "Edgewater Park was one of the towns with the "largest tax rate increases". The towns are; Burlington City, up 20.3 cents; Evesham, up 18.5 cents; Mt. Holly, up 17.5 cents and Edgewater Park , up 14.3 cents followed by Fieldsboro, up 12.9 cents and Palmyra, up 12.3 cents. Could it be a coincidence that five of the six towns are governed by Democrats with Mt. Holly the exception. Edgewater Park's Municipal Local Purpose Tax ($.981) is the 10th highest out of 40 towns in Burlington County. This puts Edgewater Park as one of the top leaders in property tax increases in the county. Is this something we want our town to be a leader of?

Do you continue to reward a poor nine year record of fiscal management with your vote this November for Committeeman Pullion even if he is on the Democratic Ticket?

My bet is yes!- the majority of Edgewater Park voters today, cannot separate their vote locally and will continue to support a proven bad manager of our tax dollars, because Committeeman Pullion is a Democrat. Hence our town will continue its decline in quality of life and will probably advance upward in the 'Highest Municipal Tax Rate' standings. Who knows, if Committeeman Pullion, as I predict, wins this November, we may even reach number one on that list next year.

Prove me wrong! Do somthing to change our 'Township Committee's taking your vote forgranted- split your vote- show that you will not reward the poor management with your vote!

The next Post Article will be on; The Failure of Edgewater Parks Economic Development under Committeeman Pullion's Nine Year Term of Office.

Please send in your comments,

The Edgewater Park Reporter