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     Sagitar Citizen Username: Sagitar Post Number: 4 Registered: 3-2004 |
This appears in today's Bergen Record. I don't buy it completely, but he makes a few good points about what the legislature could do to ease the burdens on small towns. Chiefly, and I was not aware of this, ending the requirement that all towns enroll their employees in the state's bloated pension system. I favor consolidation of SOMA and don't think the citizens of the towns would be hurt or their power diluted as this writer suggests... Article: Consolidation of services is not the answer Thursday, August 24, 2006 By STEVE LONEGAN NEW JERSEY residents suffer from the highest property taxes in the nation: Our top income tax rate is the fourth highest in the nation, and we have one of the highest sales taxes. There is no question New Jersey citizens are among the highest taxed in the country. The question is "Why?" Governor Corzine and his supporters are laying blame for New Jersey's high taxes on our state's wide array of small towns and municipalities. In an Op-Ed Page article in The Record (July 28), Senate President Richard Codey argued for consolidating municipalities, stating "New Jersey currently has 566 municipalities, 616 school districts and 186 fire districts, which along with our 21 counties, rely on property taxes to fund their operations." He made this statement as if the numbers alone provide the answer to New Jersey's sky-high taxes. Many ill-informed politicians are coalescing around this false solution of combining municipalities. Actually, the facts do not support the scheme. An analysis of the cost of local government proves the opposite. Smaller municipalities have lower per capita operating costs. My hometown of Bogota, with only 8,200 residents, has a per capita municipal cost of $741, compared with $2,039 in Newark and $1,183 in Teaneck, our larger neighbor. Moreover, the bigger the town, the more difficult it becomes to "fight City Hall" or just accomplish government-related business. I challenge anyone who doubts this statement to try to get building permits or even a marriage license in Newark and Bogota, and tell me where it's easier to get your business done. Keeping an eye on the money It is far easier and more common for taxpayers in small towns to monitor how their tax dollars are being spent. A taxpayer in East Rutherford has a much simpler job learning how the governing body is spending his money than a taxpayer in Newark or Jersey City. Hence, corruption and waste, which is rampant in large cities, is nearly non-existent in small towns. Equally important are our schools. The best public school systems in the state are those in small towns. This isn't because they are better funded. Due to the Abbott decision, schools in Newark, Camden and other cities receive state funding to bring their per-student spending above what the best small school districts spend. The main reason that towns like Ridgewood, Allendale and Leonia have excellent schools is effective parental involvement. If we were to combine school districts, we would dilute the ability of parents to influence school activities. We would also dissuade parents from becoming involved, as dealing with a very large school system is much more daunting than a small local one. Finally, the issue is not just local control for the sake of home rule. Democracy cannot survive without a strong dose of local government. In these communities, anyone willing to work hard can be part of government. Surgeons, plumbers, store clerks, engineers -- absolutely anyone willing to ask their neighbor for their vote -- can be an elected official and play a role in the governing of their community. This is the process that puts the power of self government in the hands of the people. Yes, local politics are often rough-and-tumble, and sometimes seem tumultuous and unproductive, but inevitably, in the end, we become a better community and a stronger nation. Governor Corzine would like to wipe out these breeding grounds of democracy. To him, these towns and villages are a nuisance standing in the way of his planned expansion of Trenton's central government. In Corzine's world, only those connected to a political machine, backed by a big labor union or the very wealthy, will be elected. If we are going to continue to provide government of the people, by the people and for the people, we must protect government that the people can access. Many feckless politicians would like us to believe New Jersey's high taxes can be solved by consolidating services, but there is no evidence to support that. Nor would we want to live in a state full of Newarks, Trentons and Camdens. The main answer to New Jersey's high taxes is obvious: Get skyrocketing state spending under control. It simply isn't reasonable to impose high taxes on citizens so that Newark can have a lavish arts center, or so state employees can work 35-hour weeks and retire at 55, all to the tune of $31 billion. Local control The answer also lies in more local control -- not less. If legislators would simply rescind some of the mandates imposed on local government, such as requiring that all employees be enrolled in the state's outdated pension system, property taxes could be cut. Corzine likes to claim he will run New Jersey like a business. This is worse than cliche, it is shallow rhetoric. Government is not and never has been a business. Businesses are expected to make big profits and grow ever larger. In politics, bigger is not better. In the world of government, small is beautiful. Steve Lonegan is mayor of Bogota and executive director of Americans for Prosperity, New Jersey. http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxNCZmZ2JlbDd mN3ZxZWVFRXl5Njk4MDU3NQ== Copyright © 2006 North Jersey Media Group Inc. Copyright Infringement Notice User Agreement & Privacy Policy |
