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<table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="100%" class="forumline"> <tr> <th class="thCornerL" width="22%" height="26">Author</th> <th class="thCornerR">Message</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Feb 11 2009, 9:01 pm EST<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: The Township Committee minutes for 1/31/09</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">I called this issue out a couple months ago too. The whole selective re-assessment concept is bad public policy and severely unfair to those residents not re-assessed or not even eligible for re-assessment based on their rules. Not only do people unable to re-assess get stuck with higher taxes as othrs see theirs go down (despite the fact that those not re-assessed may have lost as much or more value in the properties), but because the total obligation of residents is fixed, if they allow 25% of people to have a lower re-assessment the burden of those fewer tax dollars transfers to those not allowed re-assessment. In effect, those not-reassessed are robbed twice by one action. <br /> <br />Its important to understand too that the criteria they create will prevent some homeowners from ever being eligible for re-assessment while allowing somewhat arbitrary rulings on whether others can. For example there are some small but geographically distinct "neighborhoods" with insufficient homes to ever have enough sale comps within the required period. Whereas others could claim connection as single neighborhoods despite very little in common with other in terms of size or age of the house or the lot conditions. <br /> <br />All of this is at odds with the virtually universal way "comps" are done in other appraisals and assessments, including in the previous 2006 re-assessment. So they are re-writing the rules to be more unfair to their own citizens than they have always been. Why? <br /> <br />My property taxes are already well more than twice the Township average. So I am already paying far more than others for the same services but now I am expected to pay an even greater percentage for apparently no articulate reason.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Feb 11 2009, 4:27 pm EST<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: The Township Committee minutes for 1/31/09</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">What are those lucky neighborhoods? The Mayor's own or any special person's?</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row1"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row1" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Feb 11 2009, 4:19 pm EST<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: Re: The Township Committee minutes for 1/31/09</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Please pay specific attention to this exchange <br /> <br />"Mr. Dietrich Wahlers, 33 Hagerty Lane, asked if the re-assessment was across the board or only for some. Mayor Stave indicated <br />it was for only some neighborhoods. " <br /> <br />How can our town assess at tax payer expense only one portion of the town? It means that those who were not reassessed are going to pay more of the tax bill. Those who had their houses re-assessed will pay less. There is an inherent inequity. It should have been an all or nothing, not a portion of town.</span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="22%" align="left" valign="top" class="row2"><span class="name"><a name=""></a><b>Guest</b></span></td> <td class="row2" height="28" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td width="100%"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/icon_minipost.gif" width="12" height="9" alt="Post" title="Post" border="0" /><span class="postdetails">Posted: Wed, Feb 11 2009, 4:00 pm EST<span class="gen"> </span> Post subject: The Township Committee minutes for 1/31/09</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><hr /></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><span class="postbody">Jananuary 31 Special Budget meeting: <br /> <br />"... <br />The Township Committee continued their discussion with Police Chief Edward Kahler the <br />purchase of new vehicles for the Police Department. The Township Committee re-visited the <br />purchasing of hybrid vehicles for the Police Department. Chief Kahler explained one car would <br />be used for the Captain and Lieutenant and one for the Detective as they have overlapping shifts. <br />He stated overlapping shifts will allow the Captain and Lieutenant to work more hours thus <br />providing more time for grant writing, supervision and mandatory training. The purchase of <br />vehicles will allow the Department to achieve a level of efficiency that has been lacking for some <br />time. Mr. Cody indicated the town of Westwood is using hybrids for in-town policing. Chief <br />Kahler indicated his preference would be to have a Crown Victoria and Dodge Charger as they <br />are delivered with everything (sirens, lights, etc.). Mayor Stave asked if there is anything about a <br />hybrid that would be unsafe. Chief Kahler stated he does not know if anything has been done. <br />Mr. Stout stated ordering a Dodge Charger with a V-8 engine would be fine and order a hybrid <br />Escape for the Detective car. All Township Committee persons were in agreement with Mr. <br />Stout. Mr. Richard Kallan, 10 Wynnewood Drive, asked if the Police Department transfers the <br />equipment from the old car to the new car. Chief Kahler responded they do not however; parts <br />are saved from the old vehicles. Later in the meeting the Township Committee decided to have <br />the Police Department use an existing detective car as a patrol car and to purchase one hybrid <br />SUV for the Detective Bureau. <br /> <br />The Township Committee reviewed the Professionals’ proposed budget. Under legal there is <br />an amount of $10,000 for Code revisions. Ms. Cunningham, Clerk, stated the Township’s Code <br />had not been updated in over ten (10) years and stressed the importance of municipalities <br />keeping their Code Books updated. She further explained the Police cannot enforce a lot of <br />traffic violations because certain ordinances have not been adopted by the Township. This <br />amount was approved to be “kept at $10,000” with the understanding Ms. Smeltzer will oversee <br />the project with only important ordinances prepared to update the Township’s Code. <br /> <br /> The Township Committee discussed increases this year for Township staff. Mayor Stave <br />reported she had recently attended a staff meeting and had expressed to them the difficult <br />economic times everyone is going through. The Township Committee made a decision to give only full-time employees a 1 ½% raise and have them give the 1 ½% back to the Township to pay <br />for their health care benefits. <br /> <br />The Mayor opened the meeting to public questions and comments on those items not on the <br />agenda. <br /> <br />Mr. Ken Griffin, 1 Silvers Lane, stated the Township should look into drilling a well for field <br />irrigation instead of using New Jersey American Water as the water source. In addition he stated <br />the Township would save money if New Jersey American Water’s services could be used to read <br />second meters rather than using Township staff. <br /> <br />Mr. Richard Kallan, 10 Wynnewood Drive, asked if the assessment percentage is reduced <br />for residents by how much and will the Library’s share decrease. Mr. Stout responded the <br />Library’s share would not be decreased until the following year. <br /> <br />Mr. Dietrich Wahlers, 33 Hagerty <br />Lane, asked if the re-assessment was across the board or only for some. Mayor Stave indicated <br />it was for only some neighborhoods. <br /> <br />Mr. Dave Mauger, 26 Griggs Road, spoke concerning the Route 130 site. Mr. Mauger <br />recommended not moving forward on the site this year to save the Township money given the <br />legal challenges and added other costs associated with starting construction this year would be a <br />depreciation, taxable service contracts and a burden per household on the taxpayers. Mayor <br />Stave stated with the landscape on COAH changing there is no need for the Township to respond <br />at this time (starting any construction). <br /> <br />There being no further comments, the Mayor closed the public comment. <br /> <br />The Township Committee requested Ms. Cunningham, Clerk, call the State to find out if it is <br />mandatory for door-to-door canvassing to perform a dog census every two (2) years. <br />On motion by Mr. Stout, seconded by Mr. Cody and unanimously carried, the meeting adjourned <br />at 2:00 p.m. " <br /> <br /><a href="http://www.cranburytownship.org/TC_minutes013109.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.cranburytownship.org/TC_minutes013109.pdf</a></span></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" height="1" class="spaceRow"><img src="templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" /></td> </tr> </table>
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