It ain't easy staying in the green!"The government deficit is the difference between the amount of money the government spends and the amount it has the nerve to collect"
-Sam Ewing
A story in today's Independent by Erin Stattel, reports on the outrage of the residents of Matawan following receipt of their revaluation tax notices. This revaluation was done by Monmouth County, not Matawan Borough. Need we remind you the Democrats held off mailing information out until after the election last year. Wonder what they have up their sleeves this year?
Mayor Buccellato stated he has been telling the Council, since he took office to cut the Budget only to be ignored by the Democratic majority. He requested about a month ago that all Department Heads consider a 10% cut in their Budgets. This would be in addition to previous cuts requested the beginning of the year.
Councilman Mike Cannon, Chairperson of Finance, reported the Council is waiting for the Road Program bids to come in to make a decision as to whether or not continue with the entire project. Helllllllllllllllllllllllo, over $300,000. has already been spent on engineering costs for this project. Now if the leftover amount from the previous Road Program was $700,000. and we have already spent $300,000. of that money, that leaves us with $400,000. Not being an Einstein when it comes to math, even we can figure that out. So what are we going to get done for $400,000. Well that is when Bonding comes in. Should they go forward with Bonding we can look forward to higher taxes next year from the Municipality. BUT, it sounds like the Council is reconsidering. Per Councilman Cannon, the borough is trying to "hang in there till Nov. l." Isn't that saying we have a problem. Call me crazy but if the heating budget has been depleted, the gasoline budget depleted, the medical, we all know, is a negative $400,000. What happens if there are no line items to cover all of these Budget items? Where do they get the money for their political moves (this is an election year) that begun in Jan. with politicking and spending like drunken pirates. No offense to pirates intended. OK let's be optimistic, did we say that? Let's say the Borough receives $200,000. in insurance money owed to the Borough, that's $200,000. from $400,000. that leaves us with $200,000. deficit, not counting the heating overage, gasoline overage. Just don't see how they can make up such a large deficit. So what we have to look forward to is starting 2009 with a deficit larger than last year. When will the Council learn? Will residents have to go to Borough Council meetings in outrage? This revaluation was no surprise, the surprise was when the majority party held off the mailing till after last year's election. The surprise was watching the Council give lip service to the residents, when this same Council was insisting on increasing the Road Program, spent unauthorized money for Gravelly Brook Park, spent money on attorneys, engineers, etc.
The Matawan Borough Council majority has done a disservice to the residents with their spending. Even with the obvious failings in the insurance and stock industries, they have not tried to curtail their spending until the 11th hour. Even at the 11th hour they are still attempting to spend money on non-essentials. Matawan, its residents, demand better, we deserve better.
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