To the editor:
There they go again, justifying, spinning and actually bragging about increasing taxes. With 19 homes for sale, another 8 in pre-foreclosure, the Garwood Finance Committee just doesn't seem to get that we cannot afford their reckless spending and tax increases.
In a recent letter-to-the-editor they make a failed attempt at trying to explain away the increase by taking no accountability and ignoring the facts. Increases to the 2015 Budget include: an additional $31,000 for the Athletic Complex (last year they said it would be $2000), $33,000 in debt service payments due to the AFC and neglected infrastructure projects, $7,000 increase to the Recreation department, $17,000 for the Planning Board, $11,100 to the Municipal Clerk, $23,845 initial cost for computer software, $20,000 Taxes Raised, $18,800 in Legal Fees, $17,000 for pension line items, and $37,000 in Municipal Roof repairs that should be covered in the "surplus." In addition the failure of the Finance Committee to understand and prepare for fluctuations in RVSA fees will now cost us $86,000 even though the fees are flat over the past five years.
The budget proposed by the Garwood Finance Committee is more per household than Westfield and Cranford combined. How can a borough of 4,200 people see such drastic increases year after year? It is because we have people in charge that have zero real world budget experience. They simply copy and paste from the previous year and add increases. They have no plan, no solution. They push through their pet projects without allowing the people to vote on them and now our small town with a big heart is starting to see the ramifications of their carelessness.
By approving the $3.2 million AFC without putting it up for the people of Garwood to vote on, the council ignored capital expenditures the borough requires like Police Dispatch computer system, Police Dictaphone system, DPW equipment that is 30+ years-old, the 30+ year-old fire trucks and lack of a $1M ladder truck to fight fires at The Pointe, St. Anne's Senior housing (which, when opened, is going to create an even bigger drain on resources) and the fire on Second Avenue. There are streets in Garwood that have not been repaved in 40 years, sidewalks falling into disrepair, etc. Now we have to pay for all the items we already needed to borrow money for but hid from the public when the AFC was approved.
In addition, there is no synergy between the municipality and the Board of Education. We work in silos, which creates blown up budgets that hurt us, the taxpayers. The BOE has already said they are raising taxes an average of $217 per house which may have been avoided with smart collaboration. For years they have gotten away with irresponsible increases. The numbers don't lie and we love this town too much to allow it to continue in the direction it's headed.
Sal Piarulli
Garwood
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