So Much for the Spending Cap, Gov. Corzine
James McGreevey was in town during the summer of 2004 to sign a spending cap for municipalities and school districts. That law capped spending increases to 2.5%. He stopped by Newcomb Hospital afterwards. That is when this photograph was taken.
That law flopped according to Governor Corzine. So badly he enacted his own spending cap of 4%. We were assured the loopholes of the McGreevey law were plugged.
As we all know, state spending on schools is up, but only by 2%. That is causing cuts throughout the state. My school is losing five positions (perhaps more). While I applaud Corzine’s attempt to “cut” spending, if the the taxpayer still pays more than he did last year, it doesn’t really matter if the state shaved spending if the locals can increase it.
Last evening the Millville Board of Education passed its budget. Forty jobs are to be cut and taxes will increase.
The proposed 2008-09 budget of $96.7 million shaves more than $2.5 million from the current budget. Despite the cuts, the budget includes a 2-cent tax increase, class-size increases and the delay of eventual technological upgrades.
What is more troubling is that the state granted a waiver to the Millville BOE. And just what is that waiver for?
The waiver, which allows Millville to propose a tax increase of more than 4 percent, was necessary to keep the number of employees needed to be let go to 40. Officials said that number would likely have been higher had the tax waiver not been approved.
Millville taxpayers will be paying more next year. Corzine’s budget just transferred the government that will be gutting the taxpayer. I still fund education at more than I did last year (if this passes next month. And if it doesn’t, NJ permits the local government to approve it above the voters’ choice.).
So much for securing the loophole.
Also blogged on this date . . .
- Why Spelling Matters - 2008
- Half Breaker - 2007
- Hamsters Needed Again - 2006
- Dot . . . Dot . . . Dot . . . - 2006
- Locationless -- Some Privicy Please - 2006
- Questions for Candidates for Cumberland County Freeholder - 2005
- Bookworm Logic - 1996
- Couples - 1996
Tags: Corzine, Education, New Jersey, Politics, property-tax, tax