Gov. Chris Christie is urging New Jersey mayors to have "the backbone" to support his proposed 2.5 percent spending cap to control escalating property taxes.
Taxpayers are being told that such a cap would provide much-needed tax relief. But think again. We currently have a 4 percent tax cap. Our towns are quickly running out of line items to cut. Taxpayers are
paying more and getting less.
Will an additional 1.5 percent really change anything? It would just defer pension payments and delay preventative maintenance to infrastructure. This proposal, if enacted, would further weaken our towns and help destroy our local governments. It is not property tax relief.
The Christie Administration still believes the way out of this financial mess is by simply forcing local elected officials to spend less.
Our leaders need to finally recognize that the senseless redundancies in 566 municipalities are strangling the state to the point of a faint pulse.
Taxpayers must know that their ever-increasing property taxes are supporting a bloated system – with towns every couple of miles – that is inefficient and unbelievably expensive. This absurd structure is supported through billions in property taxes, state income tax and sales tax.
Still, there is never enough money. Just ask town officials in the 566 municipalities who compete for tax relief in the form of state aid and grants. Yet the structure of New Jersey, crammed with its 566 towns, remains.
Courage to Connect New Jersey, a non-partisan, non-profit grassroots organization, has been making presentations statewide about the only real long-term solution: connecting five to 10 towns under one
administration. Our effort is being noticed, evident in the hundreds of emails and phone calls we have received over the last six months.
People tell us they want something tangible done that will allow New Jersey to be sustainable. They are ready to take action.
Even some who could lose their positions now understand that we need a different vision. Administrators admit, "Our budget is unsustainable." Police chiefs stress, "We can't go on like this anymore." Councilmen and county officials say, "I see first hand that we can no longer afford to continue on the current path."
If we have a system that is not working for the people on the inside of government and is not working for the people on the outside that are paying for it, why hold onto it?
The Governor says now is the time for bold moves. We agree.
Our growing grassroots effort advocates for a new structure for New Jersey that would ultimately reduce the number of municipalities to 100-150. Together we must build a local government structure that is small enough to respond to our needs, yet is big enough to reduce our administrative overhead, capture the economies of scale and be eligible for more federal funds.
If we connect communities, we will start on the road toward sustainability and a more efficient New Jersey. In addition, local elected officials will have a stronger voice in Trenton, as representatives of a larger constituency.
A recent Rutgers University poll shows New Jerseyans agree. Seventy percent said they believe the quality of local services would stay the same or even get better under consolidation.
So what are we waiting for?
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The fact of the matter is smaller town spend less per capita than places like Newark Creating more newarks is not the answer.