Tax Breakdown Given by Green Brook Committee
One resident still has questions on police car's purchase after Deputy Mayor Patrick Boccio speech.
At the last township committee meeting on Oct. 1, Green Brook resident Diane Eisen questioned the committee trying to gain a better understanding of the municipal budget and her taxes. She pressed Township Committee members on when they might discuss what ideas they have for cutting the municipal budget in the short term.
On Monday, Deputy Mayor Patrick Boccio gave a 20-plus minute speech addressing taxes.
Boccio touched on topics such as overall property tax distribution, local municipal expense distribution, municipal tax over the past few years, yearly budgetary process, effects on taxes and even gave some suggestions.
Boccio broke down the tax distribution for Eisen, who was in attendance.
“District school taxes, determined by the Board of Education: 65 percent,” he reported. “County taxes, determined by the Somerset County Freeholders: 16 percent. Local municipal taxes, determined by this body: 19 percent.”
Boccio also reported that the committee has eliminated six full-time and two part-time positions, and reduced one full-time employee to part-time since mid-2009.
Boccio also said the township has lost some money they had been expecting.
“Since 2007 the township has lost almost $750,000 in State Aid,” he reported. “Year to year the state aid has decreased by a total of $183,000 since 2007.”
Boccio gave his suggestions to residents who are still concerned.
“Attend the township committee meetings throughout the year as well as during the budgeting process,” he said. “All residents are invited and their input is greatly appreciated. Also do so during the budget of education’s budgeting process. Their portion of the tax bill is 3.4 times higher than the township’s portion. The same can be said regarding the county’s budgeting process, especially since their portion of the overall property tax is nearly as large as the township’s.”
Eisen responded to Boccio by asking numerous questions including one she asked at the last meeting, “why was the police chief given a new car even though it was only a couple of years old?"
Boccio declined to answer the question, saying, “the intention of tonight was not to go through a line-by-line of each individual budget, regarding the cars that is not an item here, we might as well start discussing paper clips. That is not what we are doing here, we’re looking at general items and we have a large amount of items here that we do go through each year.”
Another resident, Sue Osnato, also addressed the committee regarding taxes.
“There’s a couple things I heard tonight that I do think are encouraging,”Osnato told the committee. “I think you guys try, but I am gonna keep at you.”
David Breen
8:46 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Again the tax payers of Green Brook were given a well written speech with no answer to the questions asked last meeting.
Green Brook Resident
8:00 am on Friday, October 19, 2012
After reading the document attached to the article I can't see how you can say that.
Sue Osnato
10:29 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Honestly, I found it quite informative with the breakdowns given. Although read from paper, many numbers and facts were put out there. Not so easily remembered without reference.
I was very encouraged with the towns efforts at newly obtained shared services and the efforts toward more shared services. If they work properly, services should become more streamlined, effective and also more cost effective. To me that is a very positive direction.
I appreciate the time that was put into that tax breakdown. After years of attending budget meetings, which can be somewhat confusing. The presentation last night really laid out where and how much of our taxes are spent and what they are spent on.
I do realize the primarily talked about question from most in attendance about the Chief of Police and the purchase of his new vehicle and timing of such was not addressed in specifics. It was touched upon. To me, that is not the primary reasons for the tax woes in this town. So much attention being placed solely in one area does not seem all that productive to me.
All in all, I thought it was very informative.
Tom Tsivgas
10:55 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
My question to Deputy Mayor Boccio is how many paper clips would it cost to buy a car? A car is not the same type of line item as a paper clip.
Despite a 20 minute prepared speech on the budget Monday night it appears that the Deputy Mayor was not aware of how and where our Green Brook tax dollars are spent. The car fully equipped for police must cost in the neighborhood of $40,000 + and our committee should know about these types of expenditures. Thank you Deputy Mayor for complementing the Democratic Party on cost-cutting. It was the Democrats that enacted the reduction of staff in 2009 by reducing three administrative, not Public Safety, staff at a cost savings in excess of $150,000 plus benefits and pensions. It was the Democratic leadership that cut tax increases in half in 2009. Dave Breen and I want to continue this cost-cutting endeavor for the township. If elected I promise you that Dave and I will know about $40,000+ expenditures and instead of buying new chrome wheeled Dodge Chargers for the police chief's 90 minute daily commute on the taxpayers dime, we will put that money towards tax relief instead.
Tom Tsivgas
10:56 pm on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Deputy Mayor Boccio is correct in encouraging all residents to attend township meetings, and budget hearings for Green Brook, Somerset County and our School Board. But, as an elected official, your duty is to represent the residents. Dave Breen and I are adamant about doing this, and will work to bring together the community, school board, and different levels of government. We will engage individuals at every crossroad to hear their input. Just because residents do not attend meetings should not mean that their opinions are not heard – we must do a better job in reaching out to the community. We must do a better job in facilitating working relationships with the school board, Freeholders, and other entities. We must do a better job of giving our residents the answers they deserve. We must not discourage active residents when they ask questions. I cannot speak on behalf of the Republican majority, but I can tell you that if elected, Dave Breen and I will do a better job in all of these categories.
Edward
9:46 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
I have attended meetings and the town council has been told as per the Star Ledger that we are #2 in property tax increases. Their response is to say go after the Board of Ed. They need to address their budget to determine how other towns reduced their fixed costs, how to bring in more revenues such as more grants and getting business to come into Route 22. Oh, and on discretionary spending, giving a new car to the police chief so he can go to that second job and home is another indicator that they don’t get it.
Although municipal is the smaller part of the budget, my seven year experience using county records is the Council controlled expenses although smaller than Eduction have gone up more that the Board of Ed and certainly more than 3% a year. My actual bills:from 2005 to 2012 are:
2005 2012 Total Chg Average chg over 7 years
2,363 3,574 51.25% 7.32%
2,210 2,498 13.03% 1.86%
8,797 12.282 39.62% 5.66%
Do you believe your taxes have only increased on a 3% average as per the mayor's note?
Do you think the council is doing as much as other towns to control costs?
Do you think they get it?
Edward
9:52 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Aplogies, here is where my tax dollars are going:
2005 2012 Total Chg Average Chg over 7 years
Town 2,363 3,574 51.25% 7.32%
County 2,210 2,498 13.03% 1.86%
Brd of Ed 8,797 12.282 39.62% 5.66%
Edward
9:55 am on Sunday, October 21, 2012
Sorry, the columns did not line up the way they are typed but look at the last column where over 7 years the Council average increase is 7.32% a year vs. the Board of Ed at 5.66%.