From last night's budget meeting-The Press of Atlantic City article, January 21, 2009. Click here for full article. The committee will have to meet again for another budget meeting and that date has not been determined.
Mullica must cut $280,000 from budget to meet state cap
By ROB SPAHR Staff Writer, 609-272-7283
(Published: Wednesday, January 21, 2009)
MULLICA TOWNSHIP - The Township Committee must find a way to cut approximately $280,000 from the tax levy of its projected 2009 budget to get below the state mandated 4 percent cap.
Chief Financial Officer Dawn Stollenwerk said during a special budget workshop Tuesday night that the cuts are necessary due to an increase in operating expenses and decreases in state aid and tax collections.
"Times are tough," she said. "Less people paid their taxes this year. They will likely pay them eventually. They'll just be late."
The municipality budgeted for a decrease in state aid comparable to the $6,400 that was cut in 2008 when the tax rate increased by 5.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value, Mayor Janet Forman said.
But with the state's finances in disarray, Stollenwerk said that number could easily increase, forcing the governing body to cut expenses further or ask taxpayers for help through a referendum.
The Township Committee agreed that it wants to avoid a referendum.
The committee cut its expenditures Tuesday night by refusing to hire an additional police officer or exchange two part-time Public Works employees for one full-time staffer.
Both departments made the staffing requests, in part, to cut the amount of overtime their employees were required to perform and to enable them to rotate shift schedules.
The committee initially tabled those decisions but later opted to remove them from the budget entirely.
"This year is completely different than last year, in terms of the economy," Forman said in explaining why she didn't want to add any nonessential expenses to the budget. "I don't mean to be dramatic about all of this, but I am worried."
Stollenwerk said these, and a handful of other cuts the committee made Tuesday night, helped a little, but said at least another $150,000 will have to be cut.
Meanwhile, the committee elected to give its public defender and prosecutor raises.
The decision sparked criticism from Committeeman Michael St. Amour, who said he felt like he was blindsided by the decision and left out of earlier discussions.
St. Amour said it would be difficult to justify to taxpayers giving those professionals 89 percent and 33-percent raises, respectively, when tax collections are down and the economy is struggling.
But Forman said that if the public defender was not given the raise, as much as $3,600 per year, the township would likely be unable to fill the position easily because it does not come with the pension benefits that many other towns offer.
The committee also agreed to spend $25,000 on hiring Hammonton's ambulance corps to provide emergency medical response on a temporary basis. This will give the committee more time to search for a suitable replacement for the Mullica Township rescue squad, which abruptly disbanded last month.
E-mail Robert Spahr:
RSpahr@pressofac.com
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
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18 comments:
The more that one adds pork to the budget the more that the budget ultimately has to be cut. The true task is to honestly identify and cut out the fat so that what remains is the best use of Mullica's limited resources for the good of the community.
Looks like the "Keep Mullica Green" pair called out the lie at the last meeting. Why didn't Chasey and Kennedy just tell the truth to the public? I guess they just wanted to slip in the 89% increase for the Public Defender.
This is why the public has no respect for Chasey. It's as if she actually enjoys lying evey chance she gets.
Here's the deal: pad the proposed budget with a few items that the committee can easily cut and then make it sound as if they did something practical to reduce it, when in reality they are just raising taxes again. It's not a question of being fiscally responsible but one of how much the committee can raise the tax rate and still have an reasonable story ready for the taxpayers to accept for yet another year.
Sure they don't want to put it up to a referendum. The electorate would overwhelmingly reject any tax increase. They already know that. A referendum would only put the spotlight on the budget and perhaps ask the hard questions that the committee doesn't want asked.
I attended the budget meeting last night and would like to inform everyone that the $7,500 for the Vet Memorial was removed from the budget. The monument will be moved to the town hall and improvements around it will be considered when the economy gets better.
This was my first budget meeting and I was very impressed with the professional,unbias manner of Dawn Stollenwerk,our Chief Financial Officer.
Her expert knowledge of difficult subjects was evident by her answers to questions asked by the committee. She answered all questions without hesitation and found all financial information quickly.
Mullica should be thankful to have such an intelligent person in charge of the town finances.
Our new President might advise:
Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking the Mullica Township Government.
I think they need to cut back on cell phones used by committee and the police department. Also cut out the restroom project at the ball fields. haven't had yet why now. increase freeze like the new president did. freeze recycle program for aleast 6 months, and finnally take the check book away from the two republicians and that one democrat. PS maybe our boys in blue should leave there cars at work and not take home everyday we save on wear and tear,gas,acidents, etc.
According to the news article, the committee also decided not to hire another full-time police officer, which by my count would have been number 18 for our small, rural community of about 2,200 taxpaying homeowners. One third or more of our budget is spent on the police department.
Dust ourselves off !!??
We need to have a hot bath with detergent added to clean off the splatter of mud that Kennedy threw all over the trusting voters.
I have faith that good, honest people will be elected this year and the damage that Kennedy caused will be corrected.
To 8:57pm
Yes, alot of money is spent on the police but that is the only Dept. that brings in money to the town.
Just because we're a small community doesn't mean that their job is easy. Every domestic dispute,traffic stop or other call could prove deadly.
While you're home watching TV, they're out in the street doing and seeing things that would give you nightmares.
Don't forget that the Pike is a direct line from Atlantic City and they never know who will be speeding through. I don't think you would want their job even if Chasey gave you a 89% raise.
All the sweetheart contracts, added staff,raises "christmas tree" items (ie a $1 million gnerator) have taken their toll here with over 1/4 million dollar excess. What makes my blood boil is that w/o the state cap these jokers were fully prepared to raise taxes to cover that absurd amount. Maybe the state cap might force them to make those tough choices as every other community.In the article there seemed to be little concern that folks just cant afford this.Add to the fact that rateables like big homes and businesses arent coming and there continue to be layoffs in casino and building.Ms Stollenwerk seemed very well versed and competent but she cant make the cuts . It has to be the ones who got the town into this mess and I dont think the KFC team knows how. Mr St Amour seems to have the know how but he and Mr Graebener are obviously out of the loop.
I guess that Kennedy's top priority for 2009, spending $7,500 of taxpayer money for a town hall park, just bit the dust. What will he do now?
So much unnecessary spending from political patronage has become inured in the budget over the years that it becomes almost impossible to make obvious savings without taking the risk of losing the next election so it is easier to allow them to continue.
How much will that new salt bin set us back ? why can't we repair the old one instead (at the dump)
2:03pm, I'm curious as to what cuts you would make in the budget.
Give your suggestions, please.
Ive got some suggestions: how about we completely do away with the police department, pay the solictor and public defender the same salaries as last year, how about committemen and women forego their salaries this year, suspend the funds previously promised to the recreation fields, get open competitive bids from multiple vendors for all services as opposed to the backroom deals for friends and family, sell mulch to the public - this could help defray costs of the public works department... but this would just be for starters. Does the town make money on the scrap metal hauled to American Salvage???? How does this work?
You think Ms. Chasey would give up her salary when she holds on to her Township cellphone like it's a turkey leg? No other committee member, that I know of, has a township cellphone.
I like to know why Chasey has a cell phone on the taxes payers in the 1st place?? I know she calls her kid on it!! Why in the world she she have one..Who does she call. Is there a paper trail on her? I would love to know who she calls & why the tax payers have to pay for it??
Why isnt committee taking a vote on taking Chaseys cellphone away? Her department is the least likely to have emergencies where she must be immediately contacted. Ironically the heads of road dept , the police dept,zoning and clerks office and Mayor may make an argument for a cellphone but they havent taken one at taxpayer expense. Unless all her calls are to Ms Stollenwerk she is ripping the town off. She wont turn it in and Kennedy and Forman wont swing their vote to make her.Now we see why she fought so hard to allow Mr Crowe to keep his. I guess if he turned his in she would have been forced to also. Arrogance indeed and it'll come out in the election.
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