As I was surfing around the web, I stopped by the website for the RedBankGreen.com and found the latest article posted by Dustin Racioppi titled MAKE ALL PAY FOR SCHOOL, MAYOR SAYS
It seems as though Middletown's appointed mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, has this rather novel but highly unoriginal idea to help unburden tax payers by having the Township Attorney draft a meaningless resolution asking his buddy the Governor, to increase the sales tax by 1% and use the money to offset property taxes by using the revenue to pay for school funding.
He is qouted as saying that “Everybody sort of commiserates, (and thinks) this could be a great thing...It’s something that’s got to come, because we can’t just keep burdening taxpayers.”
Wow, Scharfy has become quit the Progressive hasn't he?
If Scharfenberger had proposed this idea earlier in the year, before he jumped onto the governor's bandwagon by attacking teachers and the Middletown school system and blaming them as the reason for driving the local tax rate up through the stratosphere, I very well may have given him kudos for think outside the box, even though he has no idea how the money would be dispersed once it was gathered by the State.
Unfortunately that is not the case.
This latest headline grabbing scheme seems to be more intended to deflect criticism away from his personal record of raising local taxes by 41.9% over the 5 years that he has served on the Township Committee (3 of those years as Mayor) if the currently proposed Township budget, which includes a 14% spending increase, that is also 8 months late, is adopted at the next Township meeting on August 16th.
I guess he figures that if he can raise the evil spectre of the Middletown Board of Education, by pointing out that ~60% of local tax bills go to support the education system, people will forget his tax and spend record on the municipal portion of those tax bill.
Scharfy seems to thinks that it would be OK to continue raising the municipal tax rate, if only somehow, those in Trenton could take care of educating Middletown's kids.
That sounds unrealistic, instead how about focusing on the proposed 14% tax increase that he supports, by trying to cut spending rather than writing resolutions that fall within the jurisdiction of the State Legislature.
8 comments:
Can start to unburden the taxpayers by getting rid of egotistical buffoons like this man.
The sooner the better.
Why don't you put the blame where it belongs: on Middletown's previous, transient CFO. He did a lot of damage in a short period of time.
CFO Richie Wright was only on the job for 1 year!
He is not to blame for the drastic rise in the municipal tax rate.
Gerry is the common denominator - member of the majority and mayor for 3 years out of 5 years.
Gerard Scharfenberger is totally out of touch with reality .His excuses only reflect just how at fault he is and it's about time he accepts responsibility for his mismanagement. He was mayor 3 of the last 5 five years and he has been a disgrace as far as representing the "people" of this town....ALL of the people !!
His sole purpose has been republican politics.
Can't wait to bid GOOD RIDDANCE to this inadequancy !!
The only game in town this man is good at is....the BLAME GAME ....
Mayor Scharfenberg likes to take credit for Middletown being in the top 100 places to live. The sad reality is his time in office has nothing to do with that distinction.
Middletown's biggest asset is our educational system. To continually point the finger our schools while neglecting his own fiduciary responsibility is down right hypocritical.
The tax payers were able to vote against the school budget and vote the BOE incumbents out. Time will tell if we made the right decision.
If we the taxpayers had that same ability to vote against the proposed 14% municipal tax increase, I think we all know how that would turn out.
Our only recourse is to hold the mayor responsible for his lack of leadership. If he wants to take credit for any of the successes of Middletown then he owns the failures. His failure to address the financial issues of Middletown can no longer be tolerated. The damage has been done,and 6 years of of this Mayor
is enough.
Checked out the article you referenced here Mike,and it sure has some very interesting commentary....very interesting indeed.
This town is really in trouble and the people here better wake up !!!
Middletown will be a much better place to live without this man in local government ....
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