Post by richardkelsey on May 5, 2011 9:18:12 GMT -5
newstranscript.gmnews.com/news/20....ons_for_cu.html
Councilman Should Make Specific Suggestions for Cuts
We read with interest Freehold Borough Councilman John Newman’s April 13 guest column in the News Transcript. Having sat through 18 months of numerous Borough Council and Finance Committee meetings with Mr. Newman, members of the Citizens Budget Committee (CBC), the Borough Administrator and Chief Financial Officer, we can only wonder if Mr. Newman was actually awake and conscious during these meetings.
Mr. Newman alleges that his colleagues “have refused to seriously examine new, creative and necessary measures to protect our taxpayers.” Really, Mr. Newman? Perhaps you were daydreaming when your colleagues actually proposed specific cuts and new areas to consider for shared services, consolidation or mergers. In fact, during all of our meetings, Mr. Newman made not one single suggestion or recommendation for cuts or cost savings.
In his guest column, Mr. Newman suggests a “mandated reduction in departmental spending of 10 percent across the board.” Of course, he made no such suggestion at the Finance Committee or council meetings. Does he understand that his role on the Finance Committee and as an elected councilman is to participate and not just sit mutely and throw stones later?
Making a generic “10 percent cut across the board” is reckless and irresponsible. Our taxpayers should know that such cuts in “department spending across the board” would result in a layoff of three to four police officers, as well as vital service employees: water and sewer, streets and roads, municipal court, code enforcement and Borough Hall, resulting in a huge reduction in street repairs, snow plowing, code enforcement and, of course, public safety.
Mr. Newman recommends a reduction in capital projects. Tell us, councilman, which Freehold Fire Department capital item do you propose to cut? Which streets do you propose not to repave in the next three years: Hull Avenue, Bowne Avenue, West George Street, Jackson Terrace, McElwaine Drive, Phyliss Drive or Stokes Street?
“The majority” already composed a long-range plan for street improvements and vehicle, truck and equipment replacement to spread out the expenditures and avoid excessive costs in any one year.
Responsible fiscal management requires more than a blanket proposal of “10 percent in each department across the board.” It actually requires detailed study and research of the budget, line by line, that the rest of us did. As a direct result of the questions and suggestions from “the majority” members, the initial proposed budget was reduced by approximately 1 cent.
Even our civilian members of the Community Budget Committee were more involved than Mr. Newman — as evidenced by the fact that he did not even realize they participated.
The “majority” certainly appreciates Mr. Newman’s new-found fiscal conservatism — we wonder why he did not bring this philosophy to the Finance Committee or to the Borough Council. It is ironic that nearly every single suggestion proposed in Mr. Newman’s guest column originated from his “majority” colleagues on council. Yet when proposed by his “majority” colleagues, Mr. Newman either voted against or took no position on any of the suggestions .
We in the “majority” are committed to sound fiscal practices and are ever-vigilant in seeking new ways to cut costs and save money, no matter from whence the costsaving suggestions may spring. Mr. Newman says he wants to make drastic cuts, yet he offered no cuts to this year’s or last year’s budget. After having been in office for 18 months, he has not given his colleagues one concrete proposal to change the way Freehold Borough operates.
Rather than playing political games in the newspapers, Mr. Newman should do the job he was elected to do on council – where change can actually be accomplished.
We in the “majority” have proven our ability to make difficult decisions. We have consistently taken the path that we believe is in the best interests of our town and our residents. So now we call upon Mr. Newman to give us just one specific line item in which to cut costs in our proposed budget. Mr. Newman’s very general proposals have no meaning unless he can actually show where and how to make specific cuts — and to have an understanding of how those cuts will impact our lives. His silence at the Finance Committee and council meetings has been deafening.
Mayor MikeWilson
Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer
Councilman Mike DiBenedetto
Councilman Kevin Kane
Councilman Jaye Sims
Councilman George Schnurr
Freehold Borough
Councilman Should Make Specific Suggestions for Cuts
We read with interest Freehold Borough Councilman John Newman’s April 13 guest column in the News Transcript. Having sat through 18 months of numerous Borough Council and Finance Committee meetings with Mr. Newman, members of the Citizens Budget Committee (CBC), the Borough Administrator and Chief Financial Officer, we can only wonder if Mr. Newman was actually awake and conscious during these meetings.
Mr. Newman alleges that his colleagues “have refused to seriously examine new, creative and necessary measures to protect our taxpayers.” Really, Mr. Newman? Perhaps you were daydreaming when your colleagues actually proposed specific cuts and new areas to consider for shared services, consolidation or mergers. In fact, during all of our meetings, Mr. Newman made not one single suggestion or recommendation for cuts or cost savings.
In his guest column, Mr. Newman suggests a “mandated reduction in departmental spending of 10 percent across the board.” Of course, he made no such suggestion at the Finance Committee or council meetings. Does he understand that his role on the Finance Committee and as an elected councilman is to participate and not just sit mutely and throw stones later?
Making a generic “10 percent cut across the board” is reckless and irresponsible. Our taxpayers should know that such cuts in “department spending across the board” would result in a layoff of three to four police officers, as well as vital service employees: water and sewer, streets and roads, municipal court, code enforcement and Borough Hall, resulting in a huge reduction in street repairs, snow plowing, code enforcement and, of course, public safety.
Mr. Newman recommends a reduction in capital projects. Tell us, councilman, which Freehold Fire Department capital item do you propose to cut? Which streets do you propose not to repave in the next three years: Hull Avenue, Bowne Avenue, West George Street, Jackson Terrace, McElwaine Drive, Phyliss Drive or Stokes Street?
“The majority” already composed a long-range plan for street improvements and vehicle, truck and equipment replacement to spread out the expenditures and avoid excessive costs in any one year.
Responsible fiscal management requires more than a blanket proposal of “10 percent in each department across the board.” It actually requires detailed study and research of the budget, line by line, that the rest of us did. As a direct result of the questions and suggestions from “the majority” members, the initial proposed budget was reduced by approximately 1 cent.
Even our civilian members of the Community Budget Committee were more involved than Mr. Newman — as evidenced by the fact that he did not even realize they participated.
The “majority” certainly appreciates Mr. Newman’s new-found fiscal conservatism — we wonder why he did not bring this philosophy to the Finance Committee or to the Borough Council. It is ironic that nearly every single suggestion proposed in Mr. Newman’s guest column originated from his “majority” colleagues on council. Yet when proposed by his “majority” colleagues, Mr. Newman either voted against or took no position on any of the suggestions .
We in the “majority” are committed to sound fiscal practices and are ever-vigilant in seeking new ways to cut costs and save money, no matter from whence the costsaving suggestions may spring. Mr. Newman says he wants to make drastic cuts, yet he offered no cuts to this year’s or last year’s budget. After having been in office for 18 months, he has not given his colleagues one concrete proposal to change the way Freehold Borough operates.
Rather than playing political games in the newspapers, Mr. Newman should do the job he was elected to do on council – where change can actually be accomplished.
We in the “majority” have proven our ability to make difficult decisions. We have consistently taken the path that we believe is in the best interests of our town and our residents. So now we call upon Mr. Newman to give us just one specific line item in which to cut costs in our proposed budget. Mr. Newman’s very general proposals have no meaning unless he can actually show where and how to make specific cuts — and to have an understanding of how those cuts will impact our lives. His silence at the Finance Committee and council meetings has been deafening.
Mayor MikeWilson
Councilwoman Sharon Shutzer
Councilman Mike DiBenedetto
Councilman Kevin Kane
Councilman Jaye Sims
Councilman George Schnurr
Freehold Borough
