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State aid cut so budget’s up
(by Lisa Kintish - April 16, 2008)
The Boonton municipal budget for 2008 was introduced during the April 7 Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting. This year’s proposed budget comes in at $10,730,511.25 and many taxpayers will be paying more than $200 over last year’s taxes.
Alderman Michael Eoga, Ward 1, who heads the Finance and Personnel Committee, introduced the budget. Reading from a press release, he stated, “The Finance Committee worked diligently to limit the growth of the budget and provide a stable tax rate.
Despite the cut in municipal aid and many mandated and uncontrollable expense, such as library costs, pension costs, utility costs, and storm water costs, the 2008 budget results in a tax increase of 5.8 cents from 0.479 per $100 of assessed valuation to 0.537 per $100 of assessed valuation or a 12.2 percent increase.”
Eoga continued, “The 2008 Municipal Budget, which reflects the municipal portion of the total tax rate, means the average assessed home of $422,816 will pay $2,272.36 annually in the municipal portion of their taxes, an increase of $247.32 per year over the 2007 rate. This equates to an increase of $20.61 per month.
The budget spending increase was limited to 3.48 percent despite increases in mandated state funding and other uncontrollable expenses. For example, pension costs are up 57 percent, electricity and street lighting are up 38 percent, gasoline is up 18 percent, and the library appropriation is up eight percent. Total mandate and uncontrollable expenses account for 70 percent of the overall budget increase.”
Eoga noted that this year’s budget was “significantly impacted” by Governor Jon Corzine’s decision to cut existing municipal state aid, which had been used in the past to reduce Boonton’ s property taxes. Boonton lost 33 percent or $482,100 in state aid.
As previously reported in this paper, Mayor Cyril Wekilsky announced that “of municipalities with less than 10,000 residents, Boonton has the dubious honor of being number one in lost aid in Morris County. Boonton is number two in the entire state in lost aid for municipalities with less than 10,000 residents.”
During the recent meeting, Wekilsky reported that he and other area mayors have been corresponding and meeting with local legislators in order to express their dissatisfaction over the state budget and its impact on smaller communities.
He told Neighbor News, “It remains to be seen whether there will be a modification of the proposed state budget which would restore, if not all, at least a portion of the state aid.”
In his statement, Eoga said, “If state aid is restored to 2007 levels, the tax rate would only increase by 2.1 cents or $90.31, a much more palatable 4.4 percent increase over 2007. Without the state mandated and uncontrollable expenses, the tax rate would have increased $7.73 over last year. Cutting state funding to municipalities may help the State and other entities but simply transfers the burden to Boonton taxpayers through property taxes.”
Eoga said that the Finance Committee attempted to control the growth of expenditures by reviewing every line item in the budget, while continuing to invest in the future by funding capital improvements. These include road paving, replacement of snow plow equipment, repairing infrastructure by obtaining a $140,000 grant, repairs to buildings and handicapped sidewalks, and purchasing of public safety equipment.
There is also the continuation of town services, such as police and fire protection, road maintenance, sanding and plowing, street sweeping, leaf collection, curbside collection of garbage and trash twice a week, recycling collection, street lighting, recreation programs, health services, a public library, and school crossing guards.
In other matters, Alderman Clifford Keezer, Ward 2, suggested that Boonton code enforcement be regulated by the Lights, Building and Grounds Committee, which he heads.
“We have to improve the quality of life in town. The way to do it is with code enforcement,” he said.
Under his suggestion, a part-time code enforcement official would be hired for weekends, a time when none is currently employed and when many codes are violated. In general, he would like to see code enforcement officials out of the office and onto the streets.
Related to this matter, Boonton is close to being able to enforce its stacking/overcrowding ordinance. Wekilsky said that all the necessary components - hardware, software, additional code enforcement officials, and clerical help - are very nearly in place.
Fire Chief honored
Also at the April 7 meeting, a proclamation was presented to Fire Chief Peter Herbert, who joined the Salvage and Rescue Company of the Boonton Fire Department in August 1982. He was elected to and served on the Boonton Board of Chiefs for six years and was Fire Chief in 2006 and 2007. Herbert served in many capacities including company representative, company lieutenant and captain, company treasurer, committeeman, and junior fire department advisor.
He was also a member of the Boonton Kiwanis Ambulance Squad and the NJ Forest Fire Service.
As stated in the proclamation, “Pete was dedicated to the safety and well-being of his fellow firefighters. His attention to the condition of our fire equipment and apparatus and the training of our firefighters led to low injury rates for both firefighters and civilians.”
Wekilsky, on behalf of the Board of Aldermen and the people of Boonton, said, “I hereby express our immense gratitude to Peter D. Herbert for his many years of service to our community and its fire department and extend to him our best wishes for the future.”
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