Last Monday's Township Committee Workshop Meeting was a short one. How short do you ask? It lasted only 17:39 minutes. If you sneezed or blinked you missed it. Good thing there is a video of it to prove that it actually took place. It's sad when the Public Comments portion (starting at 7:25) of the meeting lasted longer than the Business portion of the meeting.
The highlight of the meeting was when Don Watson (8:05) questioned items on the Bill List and not surprising, the members of the Township Committee didn't know what Mr. Watson was asking about and had no answer for him. And these people are in charge of our tax dollars!
Years ago when Democrat Patrick Short was elected to the Township Committee, he made it a point to read the bill list every month and questioned what the township was spending money on. It became apparent very quickly that the other members of the Township Committee never looked at or questioned the bill list that was present in their meeting packets each month. For his efforts, Short was publicly ridiculed by his colleagues on the dais (all Republicans BTW) for questioning Township spending. It was a travesty to witness.
Now, once again we have evidence that the Committee members, who act as Middletown's "Finance Committee", aren't doing their job. It's an embarrassment when the Township Attorney has to answer basic questions about township finances on the behalf of committee members. Watch the video and you'll see what I'm talking about.
As always, you can download a copy of the Meeting Agenda that contains the discussion items and the proposed resolutions and ordinances that were voted on or presented during the meeting. A box around an item is a link, bringing you further into the document to that resolution or ordinance. At the end of the resolution there will be a link bringing you back to the agenda. Attached to this agenda is also the monthly bill list, so that everyone can see how the Township is spending our tax dollars.
25 comments:
These clowns are incompetent and only interested in what they consider self importance not the job at hand....never were and never will be with their grandiose behavior.
If the people of Middletown want to be represented ,it is time for bipartisan government and the checks and balances it provides !
Elect two Democrats in November. That would certainly help to improve things and so would a finance committee.
nah, it's the school board that is incompetent. Nothing the TC does will affect my home values and taxes like the school board. You people need to focus your attention and anger at that body and not the TC
GOVERNMENT IN MIDDLETOWN.....all of IT....BOE and TC is made up of INCOMPETENTS and it's our own fault....we elected these AH's !!!
WAKE UP MIDDLETOWN RESIDENTS and SMELL THE COFFEE.......what you have now stinks to high heaven !!!
Disagree, the TC does a good job and our town runs well. We have good people there that care. It's the BOE that needs to go. Anyone catch the latest debacle over at the BOE?
As a Democrat, I am dismayed that our side doesn't get more involved there. Linda where are you???? We need your skills at the BOE!!!!!!
Don't hold your breath waiting for a change on the TC...
Keep in mind what we have on the BOE was sponsored, fostered and promoted by the TC members. Remember ???
BAM
IMHO,this bunch is as trustworthy as a nest of snakes.
How was the BOE sponsored by the TC? What a load of nonsense that is. The TC has zero control over the BOE or any of the people on that board. If the TC sponsored the BOE (again a load of rubbish) then why didn't you hear the TC favoring the recent tax hikes? You didn't hear that, nor have any of the TC publicly favored this nonsense going on at the BOE. I'll bet if you called the TC they'd say they are unhappy that our taxes will be going up so much. Remember, our tax bill is 3/4 the school budget. Nothing the TC does will impact our tax bill even remotely close to what the BOE does.
Wake up people, vote the BOE members that endorsed this bank cap and 2% tax increase out!
There is a county tax portion of the tax bill and a library tax and a tax for those in the garbage district.
AND WHEN Brand,Masconi and Aveta ran on the slate that was known as BAM.....the then TC members sponsored and backed them and a particular TC member was considered close to one BOE member,that BOE realized election then as BOE president if those facts are all in order.
Not nonsense.....fact.
Now we deal with the after effects of the nonsense and it's all about control of the money....on the proper education of our kids, on the demise in quality of our library ....and the problems with money management of the funds in this town....
It's all about money and politics. Make no mistake about that, EVER !
Now
Plus, the TC keeps 50% of every school tax increase as "deferred taxes". This means that the BOE increases are subsidizing the township budget. Why would the TC speak out against something like this?
Again, the library tax was always in the township budget. It now still part of the township budget, just listed separately on your tax bill. The TC approves all library expenditures twice a month in the bill list they approve without question.
Huh? The TC doesn't get a penny from the school budget increase
Anon 5:35
You really need to educate yourself a little more. The TC owes the BOE over $56 million in deferred taxes. Don't believe me? Look at the line item in the township budget. It's clear as day and can't be missed.
You need to educate YOURSELF Mikey.
The "deferred" taxes are just an accounting measure because the school is on a fiscal year budget and the town collects taxes on a calendar year schedule.
There will always be those taxes paid ahead held for the school. The first year that was done there was a tax break. No effect on taxes now.
Sorry buddy but deferred taxes are more than just an "accounting measure". It's real money that the township collects and keeps for itself. The township currently owes the school board over $56 million.
It's the dirty little secret that the township administration is afraid talk about because the day that the town stops deferring the BOE tax is the day that all deferred taxes are due to be paid back.
Middletown is 1 of only a handful of municipalities that use deferred taxes to help balance their budget.
No. Not true. Half of the school tax collected every year is kept on the Township's books due to the difference in fiscal years.
The very first year the town did that, it gave a tax break to the citizen's of the town.
If it was ever paid, it would cause an increase in the municipal portion of the tax rate, but an exactly the same decrease in the school portion, so no harm at all would be done.
Try doing your homework...
And why won't the township do this? Because then they couldn't demonize the school system for raising taxes.
Mike, your last comment is immature and ignorant. If you are going to debate and discuss something, do so using your head please.
The immature one is you ,anon 6:31, with your condescending crap. The village scold at it again !
The truth is deferred taxes are a political tool used by the incompetent politicians to hide the truth from the taxpayers.
Anon 1240
"nah, it's the school board that is incompetent. Nothing the TC does will affect my home values and taxes like the school board. You people need to focus your attention and anger at that body and not the TC" Agree TOTALLY
Middletown used to be a top 100 place to live according to Money Magazine. It no longer is because "quality of life" here is no longer top notch.
That's the fault of the TC and the BOE and ALL of it affects home values and taxes.
The state and it's integrity challenged governor (Sharfey's buddy) also impacts taxes . Make no mistake about that either when reviewing your tax bill.
no it's on the BOE as 3/4 of our taxes go there. This town is run very well and only partisan hacks don't see this.
This town at one time was run well.....NOT ANYMORE.
It's now all about politics and it has been for quite a long time now.
School taxes are not 3/4 of your tax bill, they are 60 %, county is 13%, municipal is 21%, garbage is 3 (if u are in the garbage district) , open space is 1% and the library is 2%.
School taxes are this percentage in most all towns and state policies clearly affect those taxes.
You,anon 8:26 need remedial math and comprehension courses. You appear a narrow minded republican honcho who could use new glasses and a boot in the posterior to wake u up.
Just another political hack,huh??
Are you calling someone a political hack and then in the same breath saying the town is not well run? You must not read the papers, travel outside of Middletown or have a clue how things work. We live in a town that is very well run. Also, the Board of Education portion is more than 60% as the town's taxes are only 22%.
Read your tax bill, republican political hack ,and use a calculator if you know how. Did you ever see a tax bill, loudmouth ...and no, this town is no longer well run !!
When the concern is voter ID resolutions and disbanding Human Rights Councils and more such lunacy ,that costs money in legal fees , the thugs in government in this town have lost their minds !! Taking their marching orders from that questionable character that is the governor and you see where his mouth and bullying has him right now, huh??? Lawsuits cost big bucks and paying lawyers for resolutions we don't need cost big bucks too !!
Multiple turf fields are an extravagant and unnecessary expense during the most serious recession this country has seen since the great depression, when people are having difficulty feeding their families and keeping up the mortgage payments. Priorities are out of whack with both the TC and the BOE....that;s for damn sure !
You are using the phrase "partisan hack".....how do you like it ??? Bet you are just spewing the tripe you hear and have never attended a TC or a BOE meeting. Currently that crew on the dais leaves plenty to be desired ! They show NO respect for anyone ! Too busy bullying the townspeople with their perceived self importance !
Now, go get a tax bill and a calculator and use it before you criticize anyone again or shoot your uneducated mouth off !!!
Anon 8:32,
You can't add ! Just look at the previous post for God's sake.....
8:32,
Must be one of the clueless members of the TC who can't see the forest for the trees. Can't add either !
This town is not well run...it's being run down !!
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