July 13th, 2009, Subject: A Finance Committee is the Best Solution
In a recent letter regarding Committeeman Sean
Byrnes’ proposal to create a finance committee in Middletown, the
writer failed to understand Mr. Byrnes’ reasoning and the real
value that a finance committee would provide to Middletown taxpayers.
Committeeman Byrnes and Committeeman Patrick Short
have been advocating a finance committee for more than a year. Mr.
Byrnes’ knowledge on this issue is backed by extensive financial
experience, which he developed by working on budgets for the U.S. Coast
Guard and other organizations. His experience makes him the most
qualified person on the Township Committee when it comes to finances.
His proposal is sound. A recent panel studying
Middletown’s current system of government recommended the
establishment of a finance committee. Numerous businesses and our own
state and federal governments use budget committees to work on
government finances.
As proposed by Mr. Byrnes, this committee would be
an advisory group that makes recommendations to the Township Committee
on how the Committee could better spend the township’s tax
dollars. The finance committee would in no way take away the authority
that the Committee holds for creating and approving the budget. In
fact, it would enhance their ability to produce a budget that best
serves our taxpayers.
A finance committee is needed because the current
method just does not work. As of this writing, Middletown still does
not have a budget for 2009. The Committee had to hire an outside
consultant to find savings they were unable to identify. Creating a
finance committee with the financial expertise to advise the Township
Committee, Middletown taxpayers would have a budget that spends their
tax money more efficiently and effectively. Members of the Committee
should recognize the value that a finance committee would provide our
residents. They should stand one up for 2010 and test it out; they
might just find it works.
Don Watson
New Monmouth, NJ