Thursday, April 9, 2009

Cities Waste State Funding

New Jersey State Senators Steven Oroho and Marcia Karrow expressed disbelief and frustration with the Corzine administration for its decision to grant more than $80 million in so-called “Special Municipal Aid” to three cities that have no stated plans to make sacrifices next year that many other communities are being forced to make during this recession. The aid was granted to Camden, Patterson and Bridgeton.
“These three cities argue that they qualify as ‘distressed’ when they have not taken the necessary steps to control costs as Newark and Trenton have recently done as well as countless smaller communities throughout the state,” Senator Oroho said.
“Governor Corzine -- rather doing what he pledged to do in his budget proposal and demand a fair and equitable distribution of sacrifice -- is giving these towns a pass,” said Senator Karrow. “As far as I am concerned, every local official who has spent countless hours trying to figure out ways to reduce the tax burden should be outraged and crying foul.
“We all have to pitch in,” Senator Karrow said. “It’s not fair to ask taxpayers who are facing layoffs or cutbacks in local services to pay so that residents of other communities can avoid making sacrifices.”
Newark and the state of New Jersey are imposing furloughs on city workers. School districts across the state are cutting hundreds of teaching positions. Camden, Paterson, and Bridgeton today were awarded special municipal aid grants in the amounts of $56 million, $27 million, and $1.8 million, respectively, without being required to cut the size of their governments, impose furloughs or make cuts in spending in other ways. At today’s hearing, not one member of the Local Finance Board publically asked questions of city officials before approving the aid awards. Local Finance Board members are paid $12,000 a year and are eligible for state health benefits. Board members typically meet once a month.

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