Middletown Board of Education (BOE) Voting Meeting - 3/28/18

Due to the Spring break, it took a while for this video to be posted. The video of the meeting is only 33 minutes long so it's a breeze to watch. Not much happened other than a tentative vote on approving the FY 2018/19 budget; two board members voted against the budget due to cuts being made to school improvements that are badly needed. A final vote on the budget is expected to take place at the April 17th meeting.

There was also a discussion on tentative dates for district promotion and  graduation  ceremonies. Since the district lost several days to inclement weather this winter, days needed to be added to the school calendar which has an impact on where and when these ceremonies can take place.

There were also a few members of the public to speak before the meeting was adjourned.



To view the Meeting Agenda and it's various amendments, you can find them on the BOE Website.

What's Going On At the Library?

Middletown Township has long been redirecting library funds back to the general budget, which is legal and relatively easy to do. Shoot, since 2012 they've turned it into an art form. They can increase township charge backs, reduce the library budget to increase reserves and unrestrict monies previously restricted for projects.

They get away with it easily and with little resistance because the Township Committee appoints cronies to the library board, that will do their bidding. The members of the library board often don't have the best interests of the library at heart, they are merely political puppets who are loyal to the Township Committee and care little for the library itself.

I haven't been paying much attention to the library situation for quite a long time now, hell I can't even remember the last time is was there. But when I received the following via email from a person going by the name of Mahat Macote. It may be time to start looking a little more closely again:

What's happening at the Library?

Malfeasance...that's what!

Why are they having budgetary problems?

I heard that they have have massive turnover of employees, without replacement, which under normal circumstance would mean that the budget is fine?

So why is there a budget shortfall....???

The Library Board has been shedding employees and library jobs, and getting them off the healthcare roles, "quietly"...but where are these so called, "SAVINGS" going...??

To the Taxpayers..???

Don't count on it...

To the LIBRARY...???

Don't make me laugh...

The funds are NOT going to fund the library, as they legally should...to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars...

Yet who is getting raises for doing the bidding of the Library Board and Town Council, who are one in the same, we wonders...yes, we wonders...???

I believe...no.... I KNOW that this is happening--the money is being held back and the Town Council is using the library as it's little piggy bank slush fund, for their personal accounts...or to pad their own budgets, but NOT to the library, as it should be...

They may be trying to justify this as "charge backs" for services rendered, but that is a smoke screen...Don't believe it

Do I have smoking gun proof?

No, unfortunately not... but I do know that this is happening...

A little investigative reporting and looking under a few stones may turn something up....besides some worms, and Fiore....

What else...who knows?

The Shadow knows....

For those wondering who this Mahat Macote fellow is? I really don't know.  During the great library controversies of 2012-2013 this person was a frequent commentator on the this blog, as well as, sending me emails. If something fishy is truly going on, as Mahat seems to think, then I feel it's something that may be worthwhile perusing.

President Obama's Weekly Address 10/3/15: Congress Should Do its Job and Pass a Serious Budget

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President emphasized that we need to do everything we can to strengthen economic growth and job creation. This week, despite the fact that more than half of Republicans in Congress voted to shut down the government for the second time in two years, Congress managed to pass a last-minute bill to keep the government open for another ten weeks. That means that in December, we could face yet another Republican threat to shut down the government. The President emphasized that Congress needs to stop kicking the can down the road and do its job. He stressed that Republicans and Democrats need to work together to pass a budget that fully funds the government and reverses the harmful sequestration cuts, and vowed that he would not sign another shortsighted spending bill like the one Congress sent him this past week.

President Obama's Weekly Address 9/19/15 : It’s Time for Congress To Pass a Responsible Budget

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President discussed the significant progress we have made in our economy since the financial crisis seven years ago this week, and the steps we can take to build on that momentum and strengthen the economy for the long term. Thanks to the hard work and resilience of folks around the country, our businesses have created over 13 million jobs over the past 66 straight months, housing is bouncing back, manufacturing is growing again, and the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in over seven years. We’ve come a long way from the darkest days of the financial crisis, but there is still more to be done. To keep our economy growing, we must avoid self-inflicted wounds and damaging brinksmanship: that starts with Congress passing a responsible budget before the end of the month. The President has called on Republicans in Congress to stop playing games with our economic progress and instead do its job and pass a budget that reverses the harmful cuts known as the sequester and avoids shutting down the federal government.

President Obama's Weekly Address 9/5/15: This Labor Day, Lets Talk About the Budget

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, the President recognized Labor Day by highlighting the economic progress our country has made, and underlining what needs to be done to continue that growth. Our businesses have created 13.1 million new jobs over the past five and a half years, the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in seven years, and seventeen states across the country have raised the minimum wage. The President stressed that to continue this progress, Congress needs to avoid a government shutdown that would hurt middle-class Americans and pass a responsible budget before the end of September. The President emphasized that Congress should not play games with our economy, and instead pass a budget that invests in our middle-class and helps those who work hard and play by the rules to get ahead.

President Obama's Weekly Address 4/5/14: The President’s Budget Ensures Opportunity for All Hard-Working Americans

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President highlighted the important differences between the budget he’s put forward – built on opportunity for all – and the budget House Republicans are advocating for, which stacks the deck against the middle class. While the President is focused on building lasting economic security and ensuring that hard-working Americans have the opportunity to get ahead, Republicans are advancing the same old top-down approach of cutting taxes for the wealthiest Americans and slashing important investments in education, infrastructure, and research and development.

December 18, 2013 Middletown Planning Special Board & Middletown Township Public Library Meetings

Here are a couple of videos that I had meant to post earlier in the month but due to the holidays I missed posting hem in a timely manner. Both videos are rather long and I haven't had time to review them completely. The Planning Board meeting however did receive a write-up on Middletown Patch. It was at this meeting that the Planning Board was to give final approval for or against the Taylor Lane housing development. I believe that approval of the site plan for Taylor Lane was turned down and the developer is appealing.



The Library Board of Trustees Meeting was held this same night as the Planning Board meeting. Some questions were asked about the new library budget and lively discussion was held about the purchase, rental and subsequent loss of various DVD's and audio CD's. The discussion turned somewhat petty and really was more about how the library spends its funds at year end rather than how the DVD's and CD's are borrowed. Here is a copy of the meeting agenda.

President Obama's Weekly Address 11/2/13: Passing a Budget that Reflects our Priorities

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said that in order to keep growing the economy and creating good jobs, Washington must end its cycle of manufactured crises and self-inflicted wounds. It’s time for both parties to work together to pass a budget that reflects our priorities – making smart cuts in things we don’t need and closing wasteful tax loopholes, while investing in areas that create opportunities for the middle class and our future generations.

An Economy Built to Last in NJ

From Josh Levitt
Buono For Governor


After four years of Governor Christie's failed policies, New Jersey's economy is at a crossroads. The Governor's tired, discredited trickle-down economic philosophy has left New Jersey with one of the worst job creation rates in the country and the highest unemployment rate in the region. With middle and working class families struggling to make ends meet, it's time for a change in New Jersey. Senator Buono's economic plan will strengthen New Jersey's middle class, creating new jobs and better preparing workers to compete in the 21st century economy. See for yourself below...

Buono Unveils NJ Economic Plan
By Angela Delli Santi//AP
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono has unveiled her economic plan for the state, and it contrasts sharply with Gov. Chris Christie's policies. Buono's plan, unveiled early Monday, focuses on shoring up the middle-class. It provides tax breaks to small businesses, pledges to make higher education more affordable and restores safety-net cuts made by Christie during his first term. The former chair of the Senate budget committee says her plan “reflects an understanding that economic growth begins with the middle class. We will create better jobs in New Jersey not just by offering tax credits to corporations, but by investing in our workforce, schools, working families, small businesses and infrastructure.”

Buono Outlines Economic Plan for New Jersey
NJ Today
...Buono said her five-plank economic plan aims to create jobs and a thriving middle class in New Jersey. The focus is to reinvest in current workers by retraining them and making sure they have the skills to be competitive since there will be higher skilled jobs in the future. “It also involves taking advantage of our assets and also … investing in our institutions of higher learning, our colleges, our universities, focusing on our county colleges and vocational schools as a way to retrain our workers for the jobs that are in demand,” she said. Raising the minimum wage is another initiative Buono supports. “I think it’s an embarrassment that we live in one of the highest cost of living states in the nation and there are 19 other states that have a higher minimum wage than we do,” she said. “People living on the minimum wage, so many still have to rely on public assistance, they live in public housing, rely on food stamps, people that are actually working but can’t make ends meet because this minimum wage is not about living, it’s about subsisting, it’s about existing.”

Buono slams Christie's economic record
By Jarrett Renshaw//The Star-Ledger
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono took aim at Gov. Chris Christie's economic record today, accusing him of failing the state's middle class while protecting the wealthy and large corporations. "This is a governor who's focused on giving tax cuts to millionaires and giving advantages to those already at the top while turning his back on the middle class and working poor," Buono told a small crowd gathered in the backyard of the Nutley home of state Assemblyman Al Caputo (D-Essex). "That's what my economic plan addresses."

Buono Touts Her Economic Plan, Says Christie is Out of Touch with Middle Class
NJ Today
...Buono’s 40-point plan would hike the minimum wage, redirect tax credits away from large corporations and toward small businesses, require all employers to provide paid sick days for their workers and foster research partnerships between universities and corporations.

Buono says Christie turned his back on the middle class
By Matthew Arco//Politicker NJ
The Democratic gubernatorial hopeful argued that Gov. Chris Christie is “more out of touch with the middle class than Mitt Romney” was in the last presidential election, telling a small group of Nutley residents and elected officials today that Christie is more concerned with protecting New Jersey’s richest. “How could I not run? Look at the shape our state is in,” she said. Buono discussed her economic plan she rolled out less than two days ago that would, among other things, redirect business tax credits to small business. “We need to redirect our tax credits to where they will be the most effective,” she said, calling Christie’s $2.1 billion in tax credits to large corporations largely a failure.

Buono campaigns in hometown Nutley
By Hasime Kukaj//Nutley Sun
...Buono stressed the importance of education, referring to her experience in the "amazing" Nutley public schools. "We need to invest in institutions of higher learning," Buono added. She attended Montclair State University. She said she talks to students who don't want to go to college for financial reasons. According to her campaign, "New Jersey experiences a net loss of 30,000 college students every year." Buono plans to make college tuition more affordable for New Jersey residents. "[Students] graduate with three Ds - a degree, debt and disappointment," she said. By 2018, she said relatively 800,000 new jobs are going to require postsecondary credentials. "400,000 [people] are still unemployed in New Jersey," Buono added.

Buono Talks Economy, Education and Christie at Nutley “Kitchen Table Conversation”
By Adam Bulger//Patch
...She said the state is currently suffering from what she described as Christie’s “failed trickle down economic policy” and said the governor is “as out of touch as Mitt Romney.” “We’re the bottom of the barrel for job creation,” Buono said. There are 400,000 unemployed people in New Jersey. More than that are underemployed.” The economic record, she said, spoils one of Christie’s favorite sayings. “This isn’t a comeback,” she said. “This is a catastrophe.”

President Obama's Weekly Address 3/9/13: End the Sequester to Keep Growing the Economy

WASHINGTON, DC— In his weekly address, President Obama said that businesses have created jobs every month for three years straight – nearly 6.4 million altogether, and have added 246,000 new jobs in February. We must keep this momentum going, and that’s why the President recently met with Republican leaders to discuss how we can replace the harmful, arbitrary budget cuts, called the “sequester,” with balanced deficit reduction. By working together, the President is confident we can reduce the budget by investing in areas that help us grow, and cutting what we don’t need.

THE MIDDLETOWN LIBRARY BUDGET IS A LIE

By Randall Gabrielan

The proposed budget of the library is filled with excessive charges by the township that are the root of the library’s current fiscal problems, the consequence of efforts by the township committee to take library funds for their use. I focus on one issue where I have expertise, casualty insurance. The township is charging the library a greatly excessive share of its overall largely self-insured costs using a percentage that is much in excess of the library’s share of the risk. Take workers compensation, an insurance that is easily rated for its standard costs which are essentially relative to the type of employment covered. Office and library workers are rated lower because they generally incur fewer and less severe claims. Police and public works employees take higher rates to recognize their typical and greater incidence of claims. Calculating a standard cost to start the process would produce a much lower figure for the library. Later modifications from overall experience is a legitimate practice.

Liability insurance, probably not by coincidence, was charged the same percentage for a coverage where the library would likely have an even lower share of the total risk. Libraries, which have few accidents and claims, take low rates while a municipalitiy’s liability charges are greater for streets and police operations. Take automobiles for example and compare the library’s two vans with the great number of vehicles elsewhere in the township. The charge to the library is a typical example of the township seeking to take money for itself that belongs to library operations.

Branch closings would produce smaller savings than the township would imagine because higher paid branch employees would after returning to the main library could result in the termination of the lowest ranking employees in their class. However, much of what the township claims about library funding, when not false, is specious. Take the equalized valuations that are the start of library funding. While it is true that when values decline, statutory library funding declines. However, the township can adjust its tax rate, but the library can do nothing about valuations. Thus, the township is taking from the library funds governed by law to subsidize its own budget. The township committee lies by claiming the board previously “overspent,” this their excuse for not having started earlier its raid on library funds. The statutory, property values based appropriation is a minimum for libraries while municipalities that choose to provide adequate support have in the past appropriated more, a practice admittedly in decline in today’s fiscal environment. In addition, had the library retained its surplus, built largely from non-public funds, it would have been able to weather the present fiscal crises. In short, whereas the former board built a great library, with fine support from former township committees, support that was readily and publicly acknowledged, the present township committee seeks to dismantle that library system.

Correspondents to this site, typically anonymous cowards, will attempt to discredit my words in view of my departure from the board over a perceived trifling offense, one buried ambiguously in statute, one that requires a 17 page decision to understand fully, an offense comparable to driving a mile over the speed limit, a book sale practice with minor proceeds that was on-going for over 10 years without objection by the township’s purchasing department. Oddly, they seek to charge for purchasing activities that could be more effectively handled by the library. Well, effectiveness in township operations was never the issue.


Randell Gabrielan is the former president of the Middletown Library Board of Trustees

11-19-12 Township Committee Meeting

Tonight there's another Middletown Township Committee meeting taking place down at Town Hall, but before that meeting takes place I need to post the video from the last Committee meeting that took place on last month.

At that meeting a proclamation was presented to the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief group. The group set up a relief station in the parking lot of Saint Mary's School across from the New Monmouth Baptist Church. They cooked thousands of meals for those displaced by Hurricane Sandy and the many volunteers that helped in the recovery effort after the storm.

They were a God send and the proclamation was well deserved.

The Public Comment  portion of the meeting starts around the 32 minute mark of the video and shouldn't be missed. Besides the many comments that pertained to Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, a very heated discussion took place regarding the Library budget and the possible closing of neighborhood branches, with the Township Committee stating they have no influence over the Library budget process.

It was explained that it is the responsibility of the Library Director and the Library Board, which the Township Committee appoints, to form and adopt that budget.




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.

FYI - Special Middletown Township Committee Meeting Scheduled For Today Cancelled

Just an FYI to readers that thought that there may be a special meeting of the Middletown Township Committee this afternoon at 5 pm, the meeting has been cancelled.

No reason was given on the Township's website for the canceling the meeting, but you can be sure that it was cancelled because no agreement was reached with either the SOA or PBA unions on contract givebacks before tomorrow's looming Township lay-off.

As they say, "Tomorrow is another day".

So let's see if tomorrow's meeting goes on as planned.

As A Matter Of Fact.....Budget hearings on the economy and State revenue collections

This week, the legislature will begin to consider Governor Christie’s proposed FY 2012 budget. This is traditionally the time when the State Treasurer and the Legislative Budget and Finance Officer (LBFO) present their assessment of the state’s economy and what that means in terms of revenue collections for this year and the next. Today, State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff and LBFO David Rosen addressed the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee; tomorrow, they will address the Assembly Budget Committee. Both of these full-day budget sessions traditionally are broadcast online.

The seven taxes in the table below account for eighty percent or more of the revenue collected by the state. It compares actual revenues collected in FY 2008 and FY 2010 to the amounts Governor Christie is using as a basis for his FY 2012 proposed budget. In an earlier blog, Taking the Long View, we outlined why it is appropriate to consider state collections and spending over a longer period of time than the year-to-year manner of the Governor’s annual budget. Suffice it to say, these are unprecedented times and we need a clear understanding of the situation.

In FY 2008, the state collected and spent more money than in any other year. Then the recession hit and revenues dropped precipitously. The FY 2008 and FY 2010 tax rates and structures are roughly comparable in those two years, i.e. no major increases or decreases were enacted in FY 2008 or FY 2010. Governor Christie is proposing a budget that also includes no significant rate changes.

The one rate change impact would be from the calendar year 2009 income rate increases on taxpayers earning more than $400,000. This likely had a residual effect on income tax collections in FY 2010. This is because higher income taxpayers tend to settle their tax bills in April and in 2009 their tax bills would have been higher (so additional calendar year 2009 taxes that are due would have been paid in FY 2010).

To understand more about state revenues and what these numbers mean, tune in to the hearings and look for Treasurer Sidamon-Eristoff and LBFO David Rosen’s testimony.




Note: NJJP's "As a Matter of Fact" blog has taken the place of NJJP's Monday Minute and will be posted here from time to time.

Middletown's Hearing With Local Finance Board Scheduled For August 26th

Middletown is one step closer to finalizing it's 8+ months over due budget.

It looks like the Township's hearing in front of the Department of Community Affairs Local Finance Board has been rescheduled for August 26th, two weeks after the original date was cancelled for the lack of a quorum on the part of the LFB.

According to the LFB website Middeltown will be participating in two meetings that day, one a teleconference that will deal with the Townships plan to bond $955,000 in order to finance tax appeals and the second to decide whether or not Middletown can exceed the State mandated 4% cap on property tax increases. It seems that Middletown is asking the LFB to approve an additional $2.68M over the 4% spending cap.

Now I am not exactly sure how this works but I figure there could be two ways in which to figure it out.

Last year, Middletown raised $40M from property taxes, if the amount raised by taxes exceeds the 4%cap ($41.6M) by only $2.68M, then the resulting increase to the municipal tax rate will be 10.7% (3.17% below the initially proposed tax rate) which would bring the amount raised through taxes to $44.28M ($1.27M less than what was originally proposed).

The other way to look at it would be, if the municipal budget for 2010 exceeds the cap by 4% over the 2009 budget which was $61.8M, the increase would bring the budget to $64.27M. And if then Middletown gets the approval to exceed this by $2.68M above the cap, the budget would be $66.95M, which amounts to an 8.33% tax increase. If this turns out to be the case then who knows what the amount raised by taxes will be. It will depend on what is cut and what is bonded for.

Is your head hurting yet?

The bottom line on all of this however happens to be that given the current economic environment and Governor Christie's desire to control spending, it would seem unlikely that the LFB would agree to exceed the 4% cap by such a large margin anyway. Therefore the Local Finance Board will do for Middletown what Gerry Scharfenberger and those in the majority have been unwilling to do, reduce spending, by ordering Middletown to do so, which in turned would lower the proposed 13.87% tax hike to some more manageable number.

Where will an additional $2M in spending cuts come from is anyone guess, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the township eyed the use of furloughs or additional layoffs (it was announced that 4 new police officers have recently been hired) along with reducing the budget surplus further from the proposed $4M target for the year in order to make it happen.
We’ll all just have to wait and see what the LFB dictates to Middletown.

It's Your Town Newsletter Volumn 2, Issue 15, 7/19/10

The "It's Your Town" newsletter which covers the Middletown Township Committee meeting for July 19, 2010 is now available.

This newsletter is a good one.

The Committee meeting was heavily attended, mainly people came to address the budget and the 13% increase to the municipal tax rate. According to the newsletter,the mayor now wants to know what the public wants to cut and he asked everyone that came up to address the committee that question.

The newsletter points out that a few members of the public expressed the need to televise the meetings, only to be denied by acting mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, who said that the cost would be too high.

It seems quite obvious to me that the business of the Township is not to be shown to the public so easily. It would make for better if as many people as possible could view their government at work as it happens, not after the fact.

For those interested, there will be 2 more Township Committee meetings (August 2nd and August 16th) before the budget is adopted which will be on August 16th. I urge everyone to make at least one of these meeting and voice their opinions on the budget. It will be 8 months into the year when this budget is finally voted on and next years budget should be in the development stage.

The Gloom of a 13.9% Municipal Spending Increase for Property Taxpayers

By Virginia Amend - Lincroft Village News


There is no way to put a good face on a 13.9% increase on the $64,979,576 municipal budget.

As one citizen said to Mayor Scharfenberger and the Republican majority of Pamela Brightbill, Anthony Fiore and Steve Massell, “The Republican majority owns this budget.”

That may be only partly true. Governor Christie’s actions at the State level heavily contributed to the 13.9% increase in municipal spending. First, there was the loss of $1,564,911 state aid. The anticipated pain for 2011 is that loss is then built in for future budgets.

In the “unanticipated outcomes” category Governor Christie’s threats to future pension rules, caused 23 Middletown Township employees to choose retirement in 2010 in order to be covered by the existing, more favorable pension benefits.

Another “unanticipated outcome” is the $760,000 needed to pay retiring employees sick leave and vacation day payouts. Ouch!

Not too many people remember when the Republican majority couldn’t find the funds to pay 2009 pension contribution. The temporary CFO Roth negotiated a settlement with the local Finance Board in Trenton whereby Middletown would pay 1/12 of the pension contribution in 2009 and the remaining 11 payments to be paid over the next eleven years @ 4% interest.

The budget introduced on Monday, June 23, -- halfway through the fiscal year – indicated the pension increase in this budget required $1,800,000 to fund the pension increase. Healthcare costs, and two borrowings from prior year’s salary increase. The current freeze on salaries is too little, too late to pay last year’s unpaid medical bills caused. CFO Anthony Trasente to budget another $1 million to cover this year’s health costs.

All the signs were there of an out-of-control fiscal plan in the late 2008 and in full bloom in 2009. The Republican majority should have clamped down on negotiated settlements with the several unions. In this 2010 budget the township committee is faced with an increase of $1,400,000 for the As Everett Dirkson once said, “A million here, a million there pretty soon we’re talking real money.”

The only legitimate cost was the $900,000 for this post winter’s unanticipated heavy snows and and rainstorm costs which amounted to almost a million - $900,000.

But what about the massive amounts of brush and tree limbs still littering Middletown streets? As a retiring Public Works employee, a 40 year employee said, “We used to have all the brush cleaned up by March. But they laid off one public works employee and eliminated all over time. So the public works employees come in at 6:00 AM and leave by 3:30 PM.” He said the situation is made worse as residents add their own tree and shrubbery trimming adding volumes to the existing mess of brush and tree limbs.

The reserve for uncollected taxes is at a perilous low of $500,000.

Mayor Sharfenberger prides himself on being on Governor Christie’s transition team, but it must be embarrassing to them both that Middletown with 22 square miles, and 60,000 residents has the highest municipal tax rate of 13.9%. How does that fit with Christie’s proposed 2 1/2% cap? If the cap is passed by the 2010 legislature how will Middletown face a 2011 budget?

The only “big ticket” reduction would be layoffs of personnel. To date layoffs have been limited to low-salaried secretaries and aides. No voluntary freeze of higher level salaries were made this year.

As someone once said, “One time budget solutions are just a hole in your next years’ budget.”

Currently, salaries cost $25,572,304 each year. Health benefits and insurance add another $9,292,880. A serious reduction in force would reduce both these categories.

Remember, Middletown provides lifetime health benefits to retiring employees. That means double the health benefits for each position in which a person retires. No town can afford that. Freehold Township passed a resolution in December 2009 stating there would be no lifetime health benefits for all new hires. Middletown needs to do the same.

The formula for funding the libraries is dictated by State Law and costs Middletown taxpayers $3,986,437 per year. Only legislative action can modify this formula.

To add final insult to the injury of a 13.9% increase in the municipal tax spending is the proposal of CFO Nick Trasente to accelerate tax sales against homeowners which could generate a one-time solution of $2,750,000. Again, a hole in the 2011 budget.

A one-time transfer of $365,000 from the sewerage authority may indicate they are over charging and that rate could be lowered in the future. Also health benefits for this authority needs to be examined.

Mr. Trasente said there are a number of one-time revenue sources; approximately:

1. $500,000 serial bonds
2. $200,000 from payment of a capital bond
3. $202,000 increase from the revaluation
4. $365,000 sewer authority surplus

Total - $1,267,000

However these funds will not be available for the 2011. It avoids the reality that this approximate $1,267,000 will cause the 2011 budget to increase by this amount unless spending is cut, (and there is the specter of a 2 1/2 % constitutional cap.)

Mayor Sharfenberger at this budge introduction attempted to deflect the deadening reality of a 13.9% increase in the municipal budget and the financial pain being delivered to Middletown’s homeowners, by pointing to the Board of Education budget which consumes 62% of the overall budget, a common percent in many towns. In Middletown there are 17 schools and approximately 10,000 students the percent increase of the Board of Education’s budget was a tight 2.6 per cent increase in school taxes. A quality education for all of Middletown’s children is reflected in that percent.

CFO Nick Trasente, in his report, said this budget maintains all current programs and township events.

The question becomes what programs would you, the taxpayer, eliminate to lower the 13.9% increase.

Public Information Officer Cindy Herrschaft announced the introduced budget would be on the township website the next morning. Several suggestions from the audience asked whether citizens could add their remarks and suggestions.

Committeeman Sean Byrnes acknowledged the hard work under difficult pressures, that CFO Trasente had on compiling this budget. While Byrnes was the lone “no” vote on the passage of this budget, he iterated once more the need for a finance committee composed of members of the township committee and private citizens to advise the committee early in the process. He gave a 10 pt. list of ideas and times that he introduced them to anticipate the budget process earlier.

Two of the casualties of Middletown’s budget disaster is the bonding of $3 million to dredge Shadow Lake.

The other is the diverting of the bond funds to the West Front St. Park, and a further promise to turf the Ranger field instead. It almost seemed like a done deal until Middletown budget introduction painted a black – 13.9% -- picture.

A reasonable question of CFO Trasente – is what has happened to those bonds.

The public budget hearing is scheduled for July 19, 2010 at town hall.

Only 16 or 17 people attended the introduction of the budget. That is sad. Each citizen is impacted by the actions of the township committee. Each homeowner will be financially impacted in 2010. The re-val is anticipated to generate 202,000 – that’s your money. 13.9% increase in spending will come from your pocket.

Inform yourself. Ask questions. Review the budget online. Suggest other cuts to bring down $64,979,576 of municipal spending.

And be prepared for reduced services too!!

Note - Since this article was first published in the Lincroft Village News, the NJ State Legislature passed a 2% property tax cap that has been signed into law by Governor Christie.

It's Your Town Newsletter Volumn 2, Issue 8 For 4/19/10

Middletown, It's your Town Hall Newsletter is now available for reading.

This latest edition covers the Township Committee meeting that took place on Monday, April 19.

There area resolutions attached to the newsletter that includes the bill list for the period of March and April, which makes this edition of the newsletter rather lengthy, it consists of about 100 pages.

See what the Township is spending YOUR money on instead of cutting costs while preparing a municipal budget that has a ~$5M deficit and calls for the layoff of 40 township employees.

Read the Newsletter >>>> Here

If you would like to subscribe to the newsletter and have it sent to your email, you can be placed on a mailing list by send your request to itsourtown@yahoo.com

It's Payback Time In Middletown: Emergency Appropriations Needed to Pay Bills

One of the more interesting pieces of information to come out of last Monday nights Middletown Township Committee meeting was the fact that the Middletown can't pay its bills.

Resolution No.09-263 which passed unanimously, authorized the borrowing of approx. $1.5 million to pay the interest on a $10 million Tax Anticipation Note.

This emergency appropriation needed to be made because funds were not made available to pay the interest on the note in the 2009 township budget that was passed in August.

This just goes to show you what another fine mess the Middletown GOP has gotten us into. The GOP majority members couldn't negotiate in good faith with Democratic members on the committee to come up with a budget that was responsible and would not have included a 9 % tax increase, instead they turned over the budget to the State and succumbed to pressure to put off pension payments and reduce surpluses to get an approval for a 5.2% increase while in the process they forgot that appropriate money for the interest on the $10 million Tax Anticipation Note.

Great Job!

I bring this up because it Looks like the Feds are going to have problems servicing debt payments on their bills soon.

Below is the resolution:

EMERGENCY APPROPRIATION

NJSA 40A:4-48

WHEREAS, an emergency has arisen with respect to the interest due on the $10,000,000

Tax Anticipation Note authorized pursuant to Resolution 09-205 adopted on August 3, 2009, and no adequate provision was made in the 2009 budget for the aforesaid purpose, and NJS 40A:4-46 provides for the creation on an emergency appropriation for the purpose mentioned above, and

WHEREAS, the total amount of the emergency appropriations created, including the appropriation to be created by this resolution is $51,334.00 and three (3) percent of the total operating appropriations in the budget for 2009 is $1,478,267.00 and

WHEREAS, the foregoing appropriation together with prior appropriations does not exceed

three (3) percent of the total operating appropriations (including utility operation appropriations) in the budget for 2009,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, (by not less than 2/3 of all governing body

members affirmatively concurring) that in accordance with NJS 40A:4-48:

1. An emergency appropriation is here by made for: 9-01-45-935-200-200 – Debt Service – Interest on Tax Anticipation Note

2. That said emergency appropriation shall be provided for in full in the 2009 budget,

and is requested to be excluded from CAPS, pursuant to NJS 40A:4-53.3c(1)

3. That two (2) certified copies of this resolution be filed with the Director of the Division of Local Government Services

Tony "the Fibber" Fiore Suggests That The Only Place Left In Budget To Cut Is Police For Savings

Last week Middletown special financial consultant Bob Roth re-introduced the FY 2009 budget to the Township Committee. The budget, which seems as though it was put together by the use of smoke and a mirror will be voted on and approved tonight.

The budget relays on 1 shot gimmicks such as reducing the surplus reserve for uncollected taxes and deferring a portion of the townships pension obligation, so instead of a 9.2% tax increase that was proposed back in April the new tax increase to the municipal rate will be 5.8%, and we have the State to thank for it.

After months of telling the public how hard and how tirelessly they were working on the budget, meeting department heads over and over again to ensure that their budgets fell in line with township priorities, the Republicans on the Township Committee lead by Mayor Brightbill and Deputy Mayor Scharfenberger left the decision making to the state because they could not find any budget cuts or savings themselves!

The junior Committeeman, Republican Tony ”the Fibber” Fiore went as far as saying that the only area in the budget left open to the Committee in which to cut costs, was emergency services and to lay-off or furlough police officers and staff.

What a stupid thing to say!!

How could you possible say that the only place left in the budget in which to cut costs would be to trim the police department? Fiore’s statement from the dais last week was not only a head shaker, but also an outrageously gross attempt to place blame on others for the Republican’s failures to produce a budget that was inline with the realities of the day.

There were and are numerous areas and line items throughout the FY 2009 budget that could have been cut or trimmed in order to lessen the financial impact on residents if the Republicans truly wished.

Fiore, for all of his efforts and work that he put into the budget could not even implement any of his infamous ideas from the 8-point plan that he introduced back on February 2nd. Other than the suspension of the township committee’s yearly stipend, none of his ideas listed below were worthy enough for consideration:

1. Suspend the entire Township Committee’s salaries.
2. Freeze all non-essential hiring not required by law.
3. Freeze all union and non-union salaries.
4. Evaluate all non-essential, non-revenue generating programs for elimination.
5. Seek out additional shared service arrangements.
6. Sell surplus township property and assets.
7. Eliminate all non-essential Township subscriptions and dues payments.
8. Eliminate all conference and travel expenses unless required by law for continuing education requirements.

Now, how can someone have the nerve to sit in front of others and say with a straight face that the only remaining area in the budget in which to cut or reduce would be police manpower? Were the other 7 out of 8 recommendations that Tony Fiore proposed deemed to essential by his fellow Republicans and therefore taken off the table?

I have a several budget savings ideas, in no particular order, that I would like to recommend to Tony Fiore and his Republican colleagues to consider before the next time they infer that the only option left open to the Township Committee is to cut the budget by reducing the size of Middletown’s police force:

1. Privatize the Cultural Arts Center or change its mission to allow for-profit organizations to rent and utilize the building.
2. Reduce the number of township supplied employee cars.
3. Reduce the operating hours for the Kanes lane recycling facility.
4. Privatize a portion of public works.
5. Fund Middletown Matters by sell advertisments instead of by tax payer dollars.
6. Consolidating purchases, printing and advertising.

Based on the horrible outcome of this year’s budget process to the residents of Middletown, it is essential that the Township Committee establish a Budget/Finance Committee that would interact with township personnel well before the end of the calendar year and make specific recommendations to the Township Committee on budget matters. To leave important budget issues up to the State, like was done with this years budget, is irresponsible.

And to suggest that the only option left to the Committee to reduce spending is to lay-off township police officers, is just plain stupid.