Post by BrianSullivan on Aug 14, 2010 11:25:42 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/2010-08-11/Front_Page/Freehold_Borough_adds_voice_to_call_for_tool_kit.html
Freehold Borough adds voice to call for tool kit
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Seeking help from the state, officials in Freehold Borough have passed a resolution that calls on the Legislature and the governor to enact property tax reform with the passage of a municipal tool kit and mandates relief.
The Borough Council passed the resolution on Aug. 2.
It is expected that in the near future, state legislators will be discussing and debating reforms that Gov. Chris Christie has said are necessary as new caps on tax increases take effect within the next year.
The governor has said the reforms, which he has dubbed a tool kit for local officials, will help municipal representatives pursue cost containment in their budgets.
Council President Jaye Sims, Councilman George Schnurr, Councilman John Newman and Councilman Kevin Kane voted in favor of the resolution. Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer voted no. Councilman Michael DiBenedetto was not present.
“I am absolutely opposed to the 2 percent cap,” Shutzer said, referring to the limit the Legislature has placed on the amount that certain local tax levies may be raised beginning with the next budget cycle. “I am opposed to anything that I feel will have a negative impact on our district schools.
“I have nothing against the tool kit and I am not naive enough to think that the cap will work without the tool kit. The statement I made goes against the cap and therefore the tool kit, because I believe it will have a profound effect on our schools,” the councilwoman said.
Shutzer said her position on this issue is not related to her professional career as a teacher or anything having to do with pensions.
“It has to do with so many unfunded or not fully funded state mandates that I believe are impacting children in the schools, the average child specifically. In order to fund state mandates they (the school board) have to take money from other programs. It has to come from somewhere. I worry about the average child who I believe is in danger of falling through the cracks and not getting what they need,” Shutzer said.
Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina said, “The 2 percent cap, which is now law in New Jersey, means we have to hold our tax levy (increase) to 2 percent, which will make things very difficult.”
The tax levy is the total amount of money collected in property taxes from property owners in a municipality in a given year. Each taxing entity (i.e., school board, municipal government, county government) collects a tax levy that funds its specific operation. With some exceptions, the increase in the tax levy will now be limited to 2 percent.
The governor’s tool kit is designed to accomplish six objectives, according to the resolution passed by the council. Those objectives are: collective bargaining reform; pension and benefits reform; civil service reform; management reform; a constitutional cap on increases in spending for direct state government services; and a constitutional cap on property tax increases.
The resolution states that the governor “was correct when he said ‘new caps without the tool kit are unworkable.’ ”
The council is calling for the “immediate passage of the ‘tool kit reforms’ and mandates relief, including, but not limited to, interest arbitration reform, civil service reforms, public employee pension and benefits, disciplinary procedures, school and special district elections, reforms to the Fair Housing Act and the Council on Affordable Housing and mandates relief.”
Bellina said, “Passage of this tool kit will go a long way in assisting local government leaders in attaining the goals set forth by mayors and governing bodies throughout out the state of New Jersey. Action needs to be taken immediately, if not sooner.”
Freehold Borough adds voice to call for tool kit
BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer
FREEHOLD — Seeking help from the state, officials in Freehold Borough have passed a resolution that calls on the Legislature and the governor to enact property tax reform with the passage of a municipal tool kit and mandates relief.
The Borough Council passed the resolution on Aug. 2.
It is expected that in the near future, state legislators will be discussing and debating reforms that Gov. Chris Christie has said are necessary as new caps on tax increases take effect within the next year.
The governor has said the reforms, which he has dubbed a tool kit for local officials, will help municipal representatives pursue cost containment in their budgets.
Council President Jaye Sims, Councilman George Schnurr, Councilman John Newman and Councilman Kevin Kane voted in favor of the resolution. Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer voted no. Councilman Michael DiBenedetto was not present.
“I am absolutely opposed to the 2 percent cap,” Shutzer said, referring to the limit the Legislature has placed on the amount that certain local tax levies may be raised beginning with the next budget cycle. “I am opposed to anything that I feel will have a negative impact on our district schools.
“I have nothing against the tool kit and I am not naive enough to think that the cap will work without the tool kit. The statement I made goes against the cap and therefore the tool kit, because I believe it will have a profound effect on our schools,” the councilwoman said.
Shutzer said her position on this issue is not related to her professional career as a teacher or anything having to do with pensions.
“It has to do with so many unfunded or not fully funded state mandates that I believe are impacting children in the schools, the average child specifically. In order to fund state mandates they (the school board) have to take money from other programs. It has to come from somewhere. I worry about the average child who I believe is in danger of falling through the cracks and not getting what they need,” Shutzer said.
Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina said, “The 2 percent cap, which is now law in New Jersey, means we have to hold our tax levy (increase) to 2 percent, which will make things very difficult.”
The tax levy is the total amount of money collected in property taxes from property owners in a municipality in a given year. Each taxing entity (i.e., school board, municipal government, county government) collects a tax levy that funds its specific operation. With some exceptions, the increase in the tax levy will now be limited to 2 percent.
The governor’s tool kit is designed to accomplish six objectives, according to the resolution passed by the council. Those objectives are: collective bargaining reform; pension and benefits reform; civil service reform; management reform; a constitutional cap on increases in spending for direct state government services; and a constitutional cap on property tax increases.
The resolution states that the governor “was correct when he said ‘new caps without the tool kit are unworkable.’ ”
The council is calling for the “immediate passage of the ‘tool kit reforms’ and mandates relief, including, but not limited to, interest arbitration reform, civil service reforms, public employee pension and benefits, disciplinary procedures, school and special district elections, reforms to the Fair Housing Act and the Council on Affordable Housing and mandates relief.”
Bellina said, “Passage of this tool kit will go a long way in assisting local government leaders in attaining the goals set forth by mayors and governing bodies throughout out the state of New Jersey. Action needs to be taken immediately, if not sooner.”