Seeing how Middletown Township has banned me from receiving press releases directly from the source,when and as news happens around town, insisting that I rely on secondary sources of information for posting, I figure why not ask readers, many of whom already provide me with insights of what is happening, to become reporters of news themselves.
If anyone, at anytime, witnesses or hears about anything newsworthy or informative happening in their neighborhoods, around town or the immediate areas surrounding Middletown and wants to pass along the information, I would be glad to post it hear.
After all, you the readers of the MiddletownMike blog, are the true eyes and ears of the Township (I think I heard some sitting Mayor mention the same thing at recent Township Committee meeting in reference to a particular methadone clinic).
Let me know if cars are being broken into or a home burglarized, if a local park or building has been vandalized. Anything that may be of importance to you or your community that you feel has not been adequately addressed in other local media.
The initial reason why I requested to be placed on the direct mailing list for press releases from the Middletown Police Department was because many readers of this blog were upset at not being able to find any "Police Briefs" in local publications that would mention what was happening in Middletown. They were frustrated at not reading about the car break-ins, robberies, burglaries and other incidents that were happening around them and questioned why? They felt it was some grand cover-up in order to make the town look more attractive and safer to the Money Magazines of the world, at the expense of public safety. To some extent, I would have to agree.
Through the issuance of the MTPD press releases I noticed the only information being released was after the fact. Only the names of those arrested and charged with crimes are released for publication. There is seldom if ever, any preemptive informatation or warnings issued by the MTPD to warn residents of crimes being committed in their neighborhoods. Only when the MTPD is at a loss for information or leads is a noticed or warning issued, asking for help or vigilance.
Middletown residents deserve to be better informed. If you see anything out of the ordinary happening in your neck of the woods, or wish to pass along information of an alleged incident, send it to me and I'll post it here. If enough such posts are made I'm sure that there will be a response of some kind from the MTPD or Township officials.
Remember it's the residents of Middletown that have their eyes and ears pinned to what's happening around them, not the other way around.
19 comments:
News Flash: America is broke. New Jersey is broke. Taxes are way too high. We can't afford the government we have already. At the same time, Democrats want to increase taxes. Democrats want to borrow more. Democrats want to spend more.
did you happen to think that your political spin on the police reports may have had something to do with the township's policy? I'll stick to getting my police reports from Red bank green, Patch or the dozens of other news outlets.
Anon 7:47 AM,
News Flash: Middletown Republicans borrowed a ton of money from the Sewerage Authority, Library and the Board of Education and still had to raise taxes after laying-off 8 police officers. Fiore claims he stayed within the tax levy cap but won't discuss the double digit rate increase.
Anon 9:33
There is no political spin, just the facts.
I never commented on Police reports that were posted on this sight. They stood alone and would continue to do so if ever forward to me again.
Good luck finding them in unaltered states. The other outlets post partial reports are place spin on them.
anon 1:21
What in the hell are you talking about? There is no double digit tax increase in Middletown this year. Maybe you should take some advice from the poster above and get your news from another source.
Good Morning Mike,
Looks like the jerks at "Town Hall" have reconsidered. Kudos to you for what you do to bring information to the people who live here.
As for anonymous 7:47 and 9:13.....same ole,same ole bull crap. Grow up for a change ! The republican nitwits are far from any state of "perfection".
The increase is not exactly as stated by the misleading rhetoric either.It is my experience that the proposed new "municipal" tax impacts this resident with a .05954% increase in municipal taxes.
Looks like fudging figure again as a result of REASSESSMENT. So much to be said for the expense of revaluation done by this town. Only gave the tax assessor liberty to manipulate assessments if that accounts for my experience with the reassessment.
BTW this resident's home is below the town average both in the revaluation and the reassessment.
Anon 6:42 AM, 7/14
News Flash: A 'tax lesson' for you. There is a difference between tax rate and tax levy and tax cap. The tax rate, not tax levy, was 39.85 cents for every $100 of property value in 2010. The tax rate in 2011 is about 47.10 cents. Therefore, the tax rate increase is 7.25 cents. This translates into a 18.19% increase -- "double digits" mentioned in Anon 1:21 PM, 7/13 post. Every taxpayer in Middleton is paying 18% more in property tax in 2011 over what they paid in 2010.
Following your suggestion, the source for this information is the official Middletown Township website. The Asbury Park Press was a source for tax levy information, which quoted Trasente (DFO)as saying that Middletown's overall "tax levy [is]...$46.7 million." This is the amount that Middletown taxpayers will have taken directly out of their collective pockets, in 2011, to cover Republican Township Committee spending, which includes excessive bonding to make sure Carton continues to get his share of the spoils.
The Middletown's Republican 'pickpocket' majority will continue to promote how well they did by staying, allowing for exceptions, within the tax levy cap. Imagine what they would have done if there wasn't a cap?
hey Anon 12:13,
Ever heard of the fact that the rates change during re-vals and re-assessments? In 2010 pre-reassessment, the average value of a home was $434k. After re-assessment it's $380k. Therefore, the tax rates change moron.
read the papers once in a while. You may learn something.
Anon 3:49 PM,
Accepting your pre and post assessment numbers, then the 'adjusted' tax rate moves from 39.9 cents to 45.6 cents (not 47.1 cents). The 'adjusted' tax rate increases by 5.7 cents, which works out to a 14.3% increase --"double digits" -- for 2011.
What hasn't changed is the tax levy of $46.7 million that the Township Committee takes out of the taxpayers' pockets in 2011.
Another consideration is the change in assessed values of property and the fact that the impact is greater on many taxpayers with assessed values under the township's average assessment in 2011.
The reduction in values above the 2010 average assessment were in the 13% range give or take a basis point or so and the reduction in those assessments below the average in 2010 were decreased only in the 10% range,give or take a basis point or so. The impacted residents experience a property value increase before applying the "municipal tax rate" for 2011 of about 3% plus the increase in the tax rate per hundred now in effect.
As always in this township 'figures don't lie but liars figure".
You people have no idea at all about what you're talking about.
The reassessment lowered assessments for a large number of residences in the town. The tax rate rose because the assessed value went down.
The real number to look at is the "amount to be raised by taxes." That is going up by 2.9% I believe, not double digits.
Tell you what compare your tax bill from last year with your tax bill for this year - if the math's not too difficult for you... LOL
No Legion, (madame real estate agent,Christie,Sharfey crony) the bottom line is the assessed value times the municipal tax rate which is calculated using the amount to be raised by taxation and approved by the Monmouth County Tax Board.
The lowered assessments in the reassessment were greater for those who have homes at or above the average assessment. For those with assessments below the average the reduction was a lesser percentage resulting in a proportionately higher assessment. This resident's value is $34,000.00 below the average and the increase in taxes at the municipal level is $92.00 not $59.00.
Figures don't lie.liars manipulate and figure !
So...
You wanted a reassessment, but don't like the results, is that it?
The fact is that the amount to be raised by taxes, the only that can be affected by Township Committee policy is increasing by 2.9%. Taxes are going up by 2.9%.
Get your head out of the sand.....taxes for many residents are going up MORE THAN 2.9 % because of the reassessment !
This township was better of with the revaluation. The tax assessor had already been reprimanded for his actions by the Monmouth County Tax Board. Do we really believe his office was the best qualified to handle a reassessment ? DON"T THINK SO!
And just what were the bonuses for
anyway, That office is paid to do a job. Think about it ........
Legion.
Who ever said anyone wanted a reassessment. That was done to stem the tide of appeals. Better to let the legal process play out. There is never a "perfect time" for property tax revaluation and it is a very costly,time consuming process.
This taxpayer prefers unbiased,professionals,not affiliated with Middletown, doing that job.
In recent years have learned you cannot trust the "politically connected' to act with integrity.
Legion 12:39 AM, July 17
The tax rate is up "double digits" -- about 14%.
The tax levy, amount to be raised by taxes, is about $47 million. Every Middletown taxpayer gets a bill to pay their part of this based on their property value assessment. The tax rate (up 14% for all taxpayers) is applied to assessed property value for each taxpayer until the township raises $47 million. The 2.9% represents how much the overall tax levy increased over 2010. The township exceeded the 2% cap by 0.9%, legally. The tax levy went up and the tax rate went up double digits. Bottom line is the overall budget went down and taxpayers will still be spending more to pay their taxes this year (in a nearby town taxpayers are spending less than they did last year).
To stay within the 2% cap the financial wiz-kids on the township committee appropriated $500,000 from the library (taxpayer dollars) and $350,000 from the sewerage authority (fees collected from residents and businesses that also pay taxes). So, the committee used taxes and fees collected prior to 2011 (smoke and mirrors) to stay within the new cap.
How may percentage points do you think $850,000 would have raised the overall tax levy and the already double digit tax rate?
So, the tax levy (amount to be raised by taxes) of $47 million is up an overall 2.9% and the tax rate is up %14.
The reassessment has approximately one third paying less taxes, one third paying more and one third the same. As to policy, the township committee policy is to use and twist the smallest percentages and numbers when presenting budgets that are usually six to eigth months late and already spent.
LET IT BE SAID ONCE AGAIN.......
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP NEEDS A FINANCE COMMITTEE NOW !!!!!
IT WAS NEEDED YESTERDAY AND IT WILL NEEDED TOMORROW !!!
INCOMPETENCE IS THE SUPREME RULER IN THIS TOWNSHIP ....
Remedial math should be required of the "fabulous five' and anyone else that doesn't see through the smoke and mirrors and rhetoric and the nonsense.
After last year we all should know better than to trust them. What are the republicans going to LIE about this election year ??
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