On February 23rd, M.G. C.F.O Patrick DeBlasio presented the North Plainfield Municipal Budget for 2009. During the presentation, Mr. DeBlasio and Borough Administrator Dave Hollod discussed various budget issues, including the impact of the revaluation, outstanding labor agreements, possible pension deferral (in order to save money in the short term) and the uncertainty regarding state aide. The budget, presented without pension deferral and with an estimate of state aide, showed an increase in the tax rate to 1.747% from 1.629% in 2008. Excluding any redistribution effects associated with the revaluation, that would translate into an annual $155 increase per household.
With regard to the revaluation, Mr. DeBlasio mentioned that the proportional tax burden of on residential properties (versus commercial) declined to about 73%, from 76%.
Following the budget presentation, Councilman Bob Hitchcock gave the annual report for the Friends of Vermeule. His report demonstrates the continued success of the organization and the progress the Vermeule Mansion has made toward becoming a self-sustaining property.
10 responses so far ↓
anonymous // February 26, 2009 at 3:07 pm |
I find it curious that the editors of this blog have had no comment at all on this very important segment of the local government process, yet had quite a bit to say about the function and operating practices of the NPCCR.
There’s a lot in this ‘budget report’ that smacks of the doubletalk and blather we’ve had for years, even though this was supposed to be some sort of mayor/council that’s going to ‘change’ things. Questions about payrolls and such get steered away from as quickly as possible. Figures about revenues being down and expenses being up by hundreds of thousands of dollars are speedily tossed out, but no one even mentions uncollected fines or uncollected property taxes from a developer, issue that came up during the campaign. Audits mention bookkeeping practices, and those whose practices are being questioned appear to exfcuse it all as no big deal. There’s lots more.
When a group like the NPCCR (NOT elected officials and NOT in any way involved with spending our money) discusses voting processes in their group, the editors have lots to say. But about our elected officials and their vague commentary? Nothing more than what amounts to a press release for them. It certainly looks like the only change has been in some names and some faces.
This blog used to be non-partisan, and then was accused of BEING partisan toward the current administration’s opponents. Looks to me like it IS partisan, but since it’s now in their favor, that’s now okay.
[editor's note: The post about NPCCR practices was posted the same way this council meeting was posted; and there were very few subsequent comments by the editors on that post.]
anonymous // February 26, 2009 at 5:52 pm |
The editorial about “who is drinking the kool-aid” looks like it was posted as an article, not as a reply.
Hal Hirsch (co-editor) // February 27, 2009 at 10:13 am |
Thank you for your recent comments. I would like to mention that this post was intended to be a summary and to provide information to the readers, through the audio, so they can be informed about what was said at the last meeting.
I wholly agree with you that the budget, and the actions of the local government, are extremely important and demand our attention. That being said, the number of residents that come to the council meetings, where this important information is being addressed, is pathetically low.
Given limited space and time, the public comments portion of the meeting was left out of the audio. However during the public comments session I did ask about the status of the uncollected back taxes associated with the Villa Maria, and to what extent those tax could help alleviate some of need to raise taxes and ask for state aide. While my question wasn’t answered (as expected), I asked the council to provide a status report regarding the VM’s back taxes at the next council meeting, when they’ll have another review of the budget. It would be great if more people would come to the next meeting and get up and express their views publicly to the people who are charged with governing. The borough boards meeting calendar is posted on http://www.northplainfield.org. Hope to see you there!
Barbara Habeeb // March 1, 2009 at 10:20 pm |
I doubt you’ll get any response about Villa Maria’s back taxes. No one at Borough Hall seems too concerned about it. Doesn’t seem fair does it? It just makes me wonder.
anonymous // March 4, 2009 at 8:14 am |
“I wholly agree with you that the budget, and the actions of the local government, are extremely important and demand our attention. That being said, the number of residents that come to the council meetings, where this important information is being addressed, is pathetically low.” (blog editor)
From what I know, if you attend a council meeting and make a comment, no one is required to respond to it; they don’t have to answer any questions, and have talked in the past about eliminating the public comment portion anyway — so attending council meeting LOOKS LIKE being ‘allowed’ to be in the same room as these people and little more.
By posting the audio here, you’ve done a great service to the public. But no one really addressed the original concern – that a non-elected group like the NPCCR gets a long editorial that is critical of its practices, but the council issue is spun to be that “people don’t come out”only after I made a comment. It’s a simple case of whether this blog intends to address the important issues (the people who spend our tax money) or just stick with the safe ones (a group that’s little more than a club). Katherine Watt and Emory Layne (and others) used to come right out and address this stuff; I don’t see any more of that.
Heather DeGeorge, co-editor // March 4, 2009 at 12:38 pm |
The bulk of the expository writing on this blog was done by Katherine Watt (who no longer lives in town and has other things to focus on) and Emory Lane (who decided to stop submitting items–we have not blocked or discouraged them). I’m personally unfamiliar with any “others” except during campaign time by those running for office.
YOU are welcome to submit such articles. As was stated in an earlier thread on this blog, the current co-editors took on the task of keeping the blog alive in the hopes that Katherine had inspired other people in the community to take on the task of holding the government accountable. Apparently, there are plenty happy to read the work of others; but not many willing to do the work. And it IS work to dig this stuff out.
I never said I had that time. I give the time I have. I’m going to assume you’re doing the same in a more productive manner than bashing the people who are volunteering whatever time they have.
And public comment has not been eliminated from council meetings. Find another excuse not to go.
anonymous // March 5, 2009 at 3:45 pm |
The tone of the co-editor’s last response sounds all-too-reminiscent of things politicians in this town have been saying to those who foot the bill for years. Thanks for setting me straight. Now I know why there aren’t any editorials of the type I asked about.
Heather DeGeorge, co-editor // March 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm |
Well, the co-editor in question (me) is not a politician and foots one of the highest bills in this borough, tyvm; but has also attempted to give what time I have to make it better.
I’m sorry that’s not enough time for you. The alternative was that the blog died. Frankly, I thought Katherine might have fired up enough people to contribute more. It’s really been disappointing on our end, too.
Another Anonymous // March 5, 2009 at 4:21 pm |
You know, I’ve been picking through this blog and have to say that while I’m disappointed that someone doesn’t have the time that the prior editor had for the articles, the tone of “Anonymous” sounds “all-too-reminiscent” of residents of this town that think that they pay their taxes and that’s the end of their responsibility.
It’s hard to be a relatively new resident here (4 years) and think that I moved into a town where the residents clearly don’t feel any responsibility to make it better–that they pay their taxes and the rest of it is up to the government. I guess I don’t have to wonder why houses seem to be constantly up for sale here.
anonymous // March 6, 2009 at 11:46 am |
awful lot of blanket conclusions and accusations being made here, when all I did was address a specific. (Apparently, the answer to that was that there’s not enough time to write editorials about borough council, but plenty of time to do it about NPCCR; that’s the best I can gather.)
I, like many other people in this town, do and did things because they needed to be done and were the right things to do — and we didn’t need to have our names plastered on signs or get fancy titles or elected/appointed positions. We just did. It’s a darn shame that the people with the titles and positions spend more time making excuses for not doing than doing.
Plenty of us actually do stuff — and not for acclaim. But we also pay taxes, and figure we should be able to trust elected officials to do what’s right. When they don’t, making a non-answered comment at a council meeting doesn’t seem to be the solution; if it was, the last dozen years wouldn’t have been what they’ve been, would they?