The Courier - April 17, 2008

Short and Byrnes: More cuts needed

By J.J. SULLIVAN III
Staff Writer

    Middletown committeemen Patrick Short and Sean Byrnes have recently brought to the table a plan to reduce the 2008 introductory budget by over $2 million.
    During the April 7 public session, Byrnes and Short unveiled proposed cuts, as well as both an evaluation on the total cost of salary increases from 2007 and a 39-point letter detailing ways the township can increase revenue while spending less.
    "As result of our recommended changes, a subtotal of $1,913,652 could be obtained. An additional $654,540 could be recognized if salaries were not increased to the levels that are currently specified within the 2008 budget. This results in an opportunity for an overall savings total of $2,568,192 if all of the proposed budget reductions were taken into account," Short said after the meeting. His proposals had yet to account for reductions to the budget proposed during earlier rounds of review.
    According to the Democratic members of the committee, their initiative deserves serious consideration. "There should not be an expectation of an annual salary increase," Short said during the workshop meeting. "Do we need all of these employee cars? The Arts Center has been leased from the township for $1 per year, yet costs the township thousands and thousands of dollars to operate. Can. we charge back money to the Arts Center? I think that should certainly be an option."
    Short suggested an administrative fee for the library to help offset the enormous budgetary line item. "A 3.125 percent administrative fee would generate the township $125,000," Short asserted.
    The suggestions of Byrnes and Short included one that said positions that are currently vacant remain so for the time being. "We should think about decreasing the number of days the recycling center stays open, as well as a number of other measures that merit further consideration," Byrnes said.
    According to Short, "Our process is flawed, and it must be changed. The public is entitled to more review. More public review allows for a greater influx of both ideas and input." Short said public discussion could lead to an answer to the looming 5.1-cent increase in the municipal tax rate.
    During the public meeting on April 7, Deputy Mayor Pamela Brightbill took issue with Short's negative remarks about the budgetary process, which she said began in November. "It is not a coincidence that you are presenting this information tonight. To read a list of 39 items on the night we introduce the budget is comical," Brightbill said.
    Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger repeated similar concerns. "If this was brought up two or three months ago, we could have gone over it, but some of these proposals are impractical. Some look good on paper but are unfeasible," he concluded.