Subject: Police Staffing: Larry, I was surprised to read about the large numbers of police officers we have. I seldom see a officer on patrol. We are very much a rural community with little crime. Mayberry RFD! For anyone who is a regular reader of the Atlantic City Press it should be obvious that we have very little crime in our town. The last big crime wave here was kids stealing ATVS. I must confess as a conservative republican I voted for you. I have never before voted for a Liberal and your liberal views I am in disagreement with but your willingness to talk about specific cuts and waste in my tax dollars won me over. I work hard and am willing to pay for reasonable services but our town provides few local services with very high property taxes and it has to be clear to many that there are many areas of waste where cuts can be made. R


RESPONSE: The proposed areas of cut backs here for Mullica are:
1. Close the land fill. (Interestingly this suggestion by larry THE MISANTHROPIC S.O.B. angel at the recent budget meeting received a warm reception from some of THE CORRUPT MULLICA 5.) The illegal use of the dump by non residents and businesses is something that with closing, would cease and the savings would not just be a wash to homeowners to go to private service, but would be a genuine saving.

2. Stop the ridiculous service of chipping. We are a rural community and this convenience is unnecessary when property taxes are so high...the manpower and equipment costs here are substantial.

3. The restructuring of Mullica's Fire Companies down to 2 with 4 locations would result in the removal of the need for fire companies that make way less calls to have the same number of expensive fire vehicles as the other local companies. Weekstown which makes the fewest calls of the 4 companies wants an expensive pumper because it is its turn to get one. This despite the State audit that states Mullica has at least one too many pumpers.

4. No new cops should be hired...this would lower the number to 13 with the retirement of the Chief. Overtime should be strictly monitored by the new Chief and when last minute call outs occur that shift should work short handed. We will get a quick judgment in the New Year of the new Chief with a look at his ability to curtail the abuse of overtime by his men.

5. It is more difficult to address contractual issues such as health benefits which are Mullica's second largest expense. Make no mistake about it theses are cushy packages that the taxpayers are paying for and forcing larger co-pays the way the private sector has been doing is critical to control these out of hand double digit yearly increases.