NEWS FLASH July 9, 2008; I have noticed that several people have commented on the State Web Site Posted State Aid Reports. I am attaching the links to the 2008 and 2007 State Aid Reports for Edgewater Park- Edgewater Park Reporter.
The first thing I did when I got back was to go to the Post Office to get my mail and my July Copy of the Beverly Bee, and what did I find but an envelope with greetings from Edgewater Park Township. It was the "ESTIMATED TAX NOTICE 2008 3RD QTR TAX DUE:".
I almost choked when I saw the amount. It is more than 8.5% higher then my 2007 taxes.
I checked with my sources to see if the 2008 Township Budget was introduced, and found out that, no it has not.
I looked more carefully at the TAX NOTICE, and found it contains what I think is conflicting information.
First, at the top of the notice it states; "Estimate
d Tax Bills are considered the same as Regular Tax Bills in regard to all provisions affecting Tax Bills, including interest and the use of the Bill for calculating Escrow Requirements by Mortgage Services." On the bottom of the notice are 4 coupons with information printed on Coupon 3 only, that list an amount due August 1, 2008, but then states at the bottom of Coupon 3, in big red letters; "THIS IS NOT A BILL - FOR ADVICE ONLY".
Confusing?
I then read the July Edgewater Park Propaganda Section of the Bee.
I see that our Mayor is working hard with her July article, to try and justify the irresponsible spending of money on her new office, the new furniture, new carpeting, new painting and best of all, a new file room for legal documents. She also states that, "there are no funds in the budget for any new furnishings" and that "Your current township committee is determined to represent you by governing responsibly". Gee has anyone seen a 2008 township budget yet???? Beverly published theirs.
I will have to check on how much legal billing we taxpayers are paying for and and why.
I bet the Township Clerk is still way behind on the publishing of township meeting minutes and she needs a new file room?
Maybe we need the new File Room because the Clerk can't find documents on her own desk and looses them all the time, that she needs to make two copies of everything, one for her to loose and one for the File Room for her back-up.
I want to ask just one question?
How many of you taxpayers that read this Blog, have adjusted your spending this year on non-essential items due to the economic conditions?
I daresay, that unless you are rich enough, you have made adjustments in your families spending this year. Well the the Mayor and township committee have not! They are taking you for granted and think most of us are dumb enough to continue to believe the Mayor's statements.
I will be following up with additional Posts concerning items I have observed since returning to town.
The Edgewater Park Reporter
14 comments:
Nice to have you back EPR.
The Mayor, as you mentioned, is forever in the "not my fault" mode. I guess she feels we sheep are stupid, because we have elected her into office, and that might actually be true?
I also received my new disgrace of a tax bill, and would really like to vent at the polls in the fall.
To The Mayor Judy, Township Administrator Linda and all the Township Committee Persons
After receiving a flyer in my doorway, about the June 10th budget meeting, I was sorry that I could not attend. I had a prior commitment. Talking to a neighbor who did attend, allowed me to find out what direction the township committee will take if cuts are needed.
As a resident who lives near the river, I doubt if many of those who live in the center of town know how much work the Public Works Department does for us on a weekly basis. Every season provides an opportunity to see the hard work the Public Works crew does, such as chipping, leaf removal and snow plowing. We get service above and beyond any town that our friends receive in the towns they live in. The services the Public Works gives us are the only tangible service we get for our local purpose tax. When we take our children to the Townships parks, for their various activities, we find the athletic fields and playgrounds are always maintained at a high level.
I would urge the Township Committee and those in charge of the day to day supervision of our town, to rethink cutting the most visible and necessary of departments that Edgewater Park has. I commend all the men of the Public Works Department on the good services they provide.
An anonymous resident of Edgewater Park NJ
I checked on the State Web Site today and found that Edgewater Park is to receive more state aid this year than last. The amount last year was $8,456,247.00 and the aid for this year is $8,780,939.00. That is an increase of $324,692.00. What is the story? The Mayor said that Gov. Corzine cut municipal aid, but the State Web site shows that aid increased this year. Is the Mayor lying or is the State Web Site wrong?
I am also confused with the Estimated Tax bill. Do we pay the amount shown, or are we going to get a new tax bill when the budget passes? If we are not to pay until we get a final tax bill why did the township pay to mail estimated tax bills?
I am also curious about why the Edgewater Park Web Site has changed and you can't get any information on departments like before.
That figure of $8 million plus dollars looks like that is school aid.
No it is for all Municipal Aid, not just school aid.
Dear Edgewater Park Reporter;
You are right about the Edgewater Park Section of the Beverly Bee being propaganda.
I see that Bonnie Phillips is back writing articles. Everyone knows she is Mayor Judy Hall's lap dog.
Bonnie used to write deceased Mayor Tucker's Beverly Bee articles for him as well as others. She holds herself out as a objective reporter.
I think the Editor of the Beverly Bee hopes that by allowing Bonnie, the Mayor, Township Administrator and others of the Mayor's political clique, to go back to writing their propaganda, the township committee will change their mind and go back to paying the postage to have the Beverly Bee mailed to each home in Edgewater Park. It is well known that the Editor asked the Administrator and Mayor to tone down the political nature of the articles, and she would not publish letters criticizing those articles. That is when the township decided to no longer pay postage.
One other piece of information; if you want to know who the Mayor and Township Committee's lap dog are, just criticize them and see who comes out to the following township committee meeting to sing drivel about them. You also will find that the Lap Dogs are on every important committee and board that exist for the township.
I know because I was part of this group, but because I didn't agree with them in many issues concerning our town, I was not reappointed. They only want lap dogs, not intelligent thinkers.
I see that our Township Officials are monitoring the Blog very closely. To bad they didn't monitor our tax dollars as well as they monitor this blog.
THE FACTS CONTINUE:
The state has INCREASED AID to the town, while our politicians have made EXCUSE after EXCUSE as to why they have to raise taxes & layoff employees.
The school board is also raising taxes, as other towns have reduced or held their school taxes in check.
What a sorry EXCUSE of a government!
The Correct 2008 State Budget Info:
Muncp Aid = 932,675 (-192,584 frm 2007)
School Aid = 7,354,753 (+500,016 frm 2007)
County Aid = 493,511 (-17,260 frm 2007)
Total Aid = 8,780,939 (+324,692 frm 2007)
As I have mentioned in previous posts, the School Board should be LOWERING taxes in 2008, not raising them. That does not let Committee off the hook though.$50,000 that was cut in state aid was Homeland Security money, or one less police car.
If keeping our employees was such a concern couldn't the committee just move money from all of these road projects line item to the salaries line item? Sure Lincoln Ave looks nice, but is wasn't collapsing. Could that job not have been postponed until after we were out of a budget crunch? If it was immediately necessary, how about adding some some speed bumps on Lincoln like there is on Cherrix to slow down the Little League parents who feel the need to get there kids to practice at 35 mph or so on a residential street.
Dear EPR,
I attended the meeting tonight. No layoffs (so they say) but they are raising taxes, no surprise, don't they do this every year anyway?
I just finished reading the July issue of the Beverly Bee which I found in Pathmark. It was very interesting how the Sewer Authority had its own "novel" to write.
First off, they mention how all the board members are from EP. While this is true, why did you hire someone from Riverside to run the office? While he does know the running’s of a "sewer plant" he really is not qualified to run the office as an administrator. His qualifications are what you are paying the WMUA for doing. You had a perfectly qualified woman in the office to run the operations of the sewer authority office. This office has always been for mainly billing purposes only. When a problem occurs with the sewer mains or residents laterals it has always been practice of the "operator" to investigate the issue. This is where the WMUA comes in. So now you are not only paying for the WMUA to send out a "licensed" operator but you are paying for the use of Mr. Conards license. This seems redundant. Why pay for the use of two licenses? You can say that you are not paying for the use of Willingboro's license but at their rates, you are.
Second, did you realize that the spending of the monies for the new office along with all the other monthly bills almost drained your checking account? This is something that your “administrator” should have known and told you about.
Third, your fees to your solicitor which you say have been provided in your current budget also have a proposed cap on it. As for the processed “Open Public Records” which have been requested, it was stated in a resolution that the Administrator was responsible for the records of the office. This means that it was up to the administrator to process those requests, not the solicitor. Also, if remembered correctly, the solicitor volunteered his time to process these requests. This was just one of many other “jobs” taken away from the administrator and given to the solicitor to do. Too much responsibility has been given to the solicitor when in fact; most was that of the administrator. So how can you say your new administrator has the experience or capabilities of the sewer authority “office” needs?
With all the added work given to the solicitor, the use of the administrator’s license, the WUMA’s licensed workers and hourly rates of doing the “daily systems operations”, how can you make a statement that you are dedicated to keeping the costs and rates as low as possible? With all the added expenses, I’m sure the rates will have to rise by next year!
Whats up with the Township Web Site? You can't get any information from it.
The Sewer Authority
I believe that this waste of tax payers' money should be shut down. We do not need these political appointed, tax dollar wasting, do nothing people collecting a paycheck in EP. I know they have been around for a long time collecting their political patronage paychecks, but enough is enough. Time for them to do some "real" work, and stop riding on WMUA coat-tails.
A full investigation of ALL of their activities will be started VERY soon, so don't be surprised if you see a big article in the next few weeks.
Tired Of Being Ripped-OFF
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