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Re: 10% Tax Hike? Are you kidding me?

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Posted by jamesburgwebmaster on 8/13/2007 19:40: IP: pool-72-76-173-90.nwrknj.east.verizon.net

In Reply to: 10% Tax Hike? Are you kidding me? posted by Kevin on :

Kevin,

Thank you for your comments and opinions. I will address your issues.

The reason why there was a 10% tax increase is basically due to the fact that the State did not supply the requested extraordinary aid. This year we received $100,000 instead of the $250,000 that was requested. That money is pure revenue for the town and it was cut this year, basically forcing us to raise taxes. All towns in NJ received a cut in State Aid. I believe it was a $6 million cut statewide. The town budget is bare-bones as it is. I don't think there is much more that can be cut. At the last Council meeting the garbage contract was approved and we decided to only have weekly Wednesday pickup for the coming year, saving the town almost $30,000. However, if we attempt to trim the budget anymore, essential town services such as police, public works, and library would have to be cut. Unfortunately the State places many UNFUNDED mandates on the Borough, and we must pick up the tab somehow.

Never was the council talking of closing the library. The proposed referendum was to demuncipalize the library, therefore making it an association library. A library is an important community asset and we would not want to see it closed. Fortunately, the Council did not have to do that.

As for the drug problem: Yes, drug deals will occur in Jamesburg, as they do in Monroe, East Brunswick, and many other towns. It's a nationwide problem but I have to say that the town is much safer than it was ten or fifteen years ago. I would feel very safe in Jamesburg whether I was walking outside at 2 am or 2 pm. If you are concerned about drug dealers in your area, I would suggest that you look into the possibility of forming a neighborhood watch group and work closely with the police department so that drug dealers understand that they are not welcome in Jamesburg.

Flooding is another big issue. I live on a street that has seen its share of floods over the years. The Council has been taking actions to correct the problems with the Costco/Gatzmer Avenue site. The issue has been discussed at the last few Borough Council meetings with residents and it looks as if a positive outcome will result. As for the rest of town, the County has formed a Flood Commission. One of their first jobs will be looking at the Manalapan Brook. However, it's not as easy as one would think. There are hundreds of DEP regulations and red tape involved in doing anything near a body of water, even if you are just looking to remove a tree that has fallen across a stream! So in that respect, we have to ride it out. Things are being done that may not be in the public eye or the media (because the actions of the Flood Commission isn't front page news). But rest assured the County is working with the town to address issues.

Now, to my favorite part...the commercial development of Jamesburg! I won't disagree with you. I'm tired of seeing banks move into Jamesburg. We don't need anymore banks here. However, there is nothing that can legally be done to stop them. If the land is for sale and zoned commercial, there is no way to restrict the type of business which occupies the lot. If we tried that, we would have lawsuits on our hands and lose them. That being said, I would love and encourage more restaurants to do business in the Borough.

I have looked at Jamesburg's history and noticed we have trends in commercial development and growth. Throughout our history we have had ups and downs, and we are currently on an upswing. I see potential for many businesses. It's just a matter of marketing the town as a heritage tourism center. Jamesburg can become the next big thing if it is done correctly and if we have dedicated individuals willing to make it happen. Heritage tourism is based upon history and commerce. Jamesburg possesses both. We have a very rich history and tradition, anchored by the Buckelew Mansion which is schedule to undergo restoration later this yaer, which will make it the crown jewel of historic sites in Middlesex County. We also have the historic downtown, which is often very busy during the day. By combining history and commerce, it makes for a unique destination and it must be branded as such in order to be successful.

And finally, the residents and business owners are the most vital pieces to it all. In order to have a successful town, everyone needs to be proactive in the community. I have set up this message board so that thoughts can be tossed around, questions answered, and hopefully solutions will come out of it. However, I still encourage you to attend council meetings and to become active in a town organization if you already are not. I want to make sure that all citizens can be heard - the role of government is to represent the people. So please, feel free to come out to a council meeting and speak with us. I'm not sure everyone on the council checks out this message board.


-Tom Bodall

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