Edgewater Park Nerve

Looks like I struck a nerve with the last couple of posts. I was trying to point out, the inconsistency of Edgewater Park Township's code enforcement, and the abuse of power by some of our Township Officials.

I know that many of you reading this blog, have very busy lives and that between your job, kids, and the many other items you deal with day in and day out, you find it difficult to stay on top of what your elected officials are up to.

I ask that if there are issues you would like me to look into, please email them to me at; edgewaterparkreporter@yahoo.com. Don't be shy.

Taxes, Taxes, Taxes, is probably the main concern.

Please remember that our local municipal tax rate is the responsibility of the five elected members of Township Committee. They are the only ones that can effect a change in the tax increases we have experienced in the past 4 years. No one else is to blame.

The scary thing about this year is what the State is planning to do to small communities (under 10K) like Edgewater Park. If you have read any of the papers in the past week you know that State Aid Funding is to be cut to small towns as well as State School Aid. In today's BCT the paper stated that Edgewater Park Municipal Aid will be cut 27.1% from last year, so hold on to your wallet. You couple this with the irresponsible budget management done by our township committee, and you have the formula for a unavoidable large property tax increase this year.

I can hear you asking the following; What can I do about it, Nothing changes? Well, you can do something. You need to make sure you vote in the School Bd election. The school budget will be on the ballot to vote on.

You can't vote on the Municipal Budget, but you can vote out of office, 2 of those responsible (Pullion & Daly), this November.

You need to attend the budget hearings, so you can ask questions about the budget and ask why the cost for certain budget lines items, are increasing at a rate much greater then the rate of inflation.

The tax issue is not about what party controls Township Committee, but how this committee has dealt with the past municipal budgets, and tax increases. After looking at their record you can only conclude they have done a lousy job, except for Kevin Johnson (just elected in Nov).

I will stay on top of both School and Municipal Budgets and keep you informed.

Just remember, if the township committee announces that they will be opening The Cooper Street Zoo, as a way to lower taxes, you heard it here first.

The Edgewater Park Reporter

Correction !

I incorrectly reported that the State was cutting aid to our school district by 27%. The State is not cutting school aid but increasing the state aid by 10% ($608K). The state is cutting municipal state aid by 27%. I appoligize for any missconceptions this may have caused. The post above has been corrected.

The Edgewater Park Reporter 3/7/08