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TOWNSHIP |
Pride in Plumsted, the State's
Center
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Town Talk
By Mayor Ron Dancer
March 10, 2008
Committee Hopeful Legislators Save State Aid
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The Township Committee, at
its’ March 5th monthly public meeting, unanimously passed a
resolution in opposition to Governor Corzine’s proposed State Budget to reduce
State Aid by 50% to the 323 Municipalities with populations between 10,000 and
5,000 people, as well as, the elimination of all State Aid to Municipalities
with less than 5,000 people. According to State figures, the population of Plumsted Township is 8,122 people and if the
State Legislature were to approve the Governor’s proposed budget, Plumsted’s
State Aid would be reduced by $154, 741.
The Township Committee’s
Resolution to the Governor expresses the unfairness of attempting to balance
the State Budget on the backs of local property taxpayers in Communities of
10,000 people or less. State Aid programs to the Cities, such as, Special Aid
For Distressed Cities and Extraordinary Aid, are projected to be reduced by
only 5%. The Township Committee is enlisting the support of our 30th
Legislative District representatives, Senator Singer, Assemblymen Malone and
Dancer, as the State’s Budget hearings begin this month and continue through
May, until the State Budget is adopted in June.
The proposed reduction to
Plumsted’s local government State Aid does not impact the nearly $2 million in
additional State Aid to our School under the new funding formula passed by the
Legislature earlier this year. The Township remains hopeful that our
Legislative representatives will be as successful in minimizing local government
State Aid losses to the Budget, as they were in maximizing State Aid gains to
our School. Regardless of the outcome, it is the resolve of the Township
Committee to live within its’ means and not increase the local government tax
rate of 9 cents. Of the 566 Municipalities in New Jersey that have a local government tax,
there are only 6 Townships that have a tax rate less than Plumsted’s 9 cents.
The Township Committee also passed a resolution
opposing the Governor’s plan to increase tolls by 800%. The State’s $2.5
Billion budget deficit should not be paid by commuters and taxpayers, but
rather, by first cutting the spending to eliminate waste, fraud, mismanagement
and political patronage.
In other business, the
Township Committee approved an ordinance to create a Special Improvement
District that would provide opportunities for every business in the entire
Township to participate in a voluntary program designed to preserve and enhance
economic growth and employment with property tax abatements (reductions) of 10%
each year for five years. This property tax reduction incentive plan expands on
a similar program presently being offered by the Township Committee for
homeowners to reduce their property taxes by 20% for five years on the cost of
improvements for homes 20 years old or older.
With a Special Improvement District, the
Township is now qualified to receive up to $600,000 at “zero (0) per cent”
interest from the State’s Department of Community Affairs’, Office of Smart
Growth, “Business Improvement Zone Loan Fund.”
Residents are reminded that
the Recycling Center, Bulk Waste, Leaf and Branch
sites will be closed on Saturday, March 22nd in observance of the
Easter Holiday weekend.
The next regularly scheduled public meetings with
the new administration of Township Committee members Dave Leutwyler,
Steve Reed, Eric Sorchik, Deputy Mayor Mike McCue and Mayor Ron Dancer
is Wednesday, April 2nd at 8:00 P.M.
Public comments and participation are encouraged at all Township
Committee meetings. . Browse the Township website: www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
for more information and current events.
Meet The Mayor 2008
Schedule
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As a result of the new Township Committee meeting
schedule, the dates for the monthly one-on-one personal meeting
sessions with Mayor Ron Dancer at the Library every month have also
been revised. In 2007, meet personally with the Mayor at the Library on
the second (2nd) Wednesday of each month (March
12th and April 9th)
from 7 to 9 p.m. to discuss local concerns or State
issues. Residents
may call the
Library (758-7888) in advance to schedule a specific time for your
convenience. The Mayor encourages residents to
contact him
anytime at 758-2241x102 Township / 758-3497 Home / r.s.dancer@att.net
Can't get to the meetings or the hours scheduled
at the library. To discuss your concerns and issues personally with the
mayor, click for more information.
Contact the State
Legislative Office
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For Federal issues, contact
our Congressman Chris Smith at 609-585-7878 and for County matters,
contact
Freeholder Director, Joe Vicari at 1-800-722-0291. Browse the Township
website:
www.plumsted.org
and www.mainstreetne.org
or www.downtownnewegyptnpp.org for more information and
current events.
For more
information on our Township, residents are also encouraged to
visit website:
www.mainstreetsusa.com
and the official web site of Ocean County Government:
www.oceancountygov.com.
The New Egypt Press, our official weekly newspaper, is now on line at:
www.newegyptpress.com.
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