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Local officials vow to fight bill for state police services 7/31/08 A day after rural municipalities received hefty bills charging them for the State Police coverage they used to get for free, the towns fought back. Lawmakers in Ocean County said if the state is going to charge for State Police coverage on local roads, then they would send bills for local police coverage on state roads. In other areas, town officials called for surcharges on speeding tickets to pay for State Police coverage. Others asked for expanded coverage by county sheriffs and suggested filing litigation because the State Police was founded to patrol rural areas for free. Port Republic Mayor Gary Giberson offered another solution. "We're going to refuse to pay it until the constitution of the state of New Jersey is amended," Giberson said. In southern New Jersey, 23 municipalities were asked to pay $3.8 million in costs. Upper Township in Cape May County sustained the harshest blow with a $657,889 bill, according to the Department of Treasury. Those figures will make up a large part of the small towns' budgets. Buena Vista Township will pay about 15 percent, $303,521, of its estimated $2 million budget and Folsom was charged 6 percent, $88,486, of the $1.4 million budget, according to town officials. Bass River Township Administrator Amanda Somes said that municipality will be forced to pay more than $69,000 for police coverage, despite not having the ability to create new ratables due to Pinelands regulations. "I'd like to know where all the revenue generated from our court is going," said Deputy Mayor Rich Bethea, adding paying that much for the State Police would represent three to four cents on the township's tax rate. "We have a busy courtroom, but nearly all of that money goes to the state. If they keep all of that money and then hit us with another $69,000, it's going to be a burden." An official from the Department of Treasury stated Wednesday that the bills were nothing new and should have been expected. "All along we said we'd have the numbers to them by the end of July," spokesman Tom Bell said. In addition, he refuted assertions that mayors were not included in discussions. "You have to remember that in the February budget, it was $20.5 million and after discussions with the mayors and Legislature, it went down to $12.5 million." Bell said that the rural State Police coverage costs $80 million in the state's budget. The $12.5 million was split between 89 towns for part- and full-time State Police services. Towns will have to pay sometime in calendar year 2009. In the bills received Tuesday, a $100 property tax was set on households. Bell said this stipulation could vary from year to year. In response to the bills, Republican state legislators from the 9th District are calling for the state to reimburse municipalities for police protection and emergency services performed by a municipality on state roads. Affected towns Eagleswood, Folsom and Bass River are located in the district represented by Sen. Chris Connors, R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, and Assemblymen Brian Rumpf and Daniel Van Pelt, both R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic. "Forcing rural and suburban municipalities, which rely on State Police patrols, to begin paying for these services is an outrageous and unfair attempt to skim money from the property taxpayers of those communities," Connors said. He also noted that urban cities Camden and Irvington are similarly patrolled by State Police without an additional charge. "Conveniently, the state seems to have turned a blind eye to the fact that in 1921 the State Police was created to patrol rural areas because of the lack of existing local police departments in the area," Van Pelt said. If the state has turned a blind eye, local mayors have not. A complaint with the Council on Mandates by New Jersey towns alleges that fees for State Police are illegal because the organization was founded to protect rural towns unable to afford their own police force. Estell Manor Mayor Joe Venezia pledged Tuesday to join seven other New Jersey towns, including Buena Vista, Shiloh, Deerfield and Upper Deerfield in the litigation. "I strongly believe we will be victorious in the end," Venezia said. Atlantic County Sheriff James McGettigan will conduct an informal study to determine the cost of his office to patrol the county. "The sheriff's office coming in to provide protective services would be a whole new trend of law enforcement and whole new way of doing business in Atlantic County," he said. Although he is conducting a free study, McGettigan recommends the towns conduct an official study to secure exact totals. The feasibility study would answer "a slew of questions that are going to be very important to determine whether the cost is going to be prohibitive or beneficial to the western side of the county." Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, has proposed a bill that would create a $40 surcharge on moving violations. This would create a property tax relief fund for both rural and traditional police forces.
Towns face charges for services of state cops 7/31/08 Towns that depend on the New Jersey State Police for all or part of their police protection received letters this week indicating how much they'll have to pay the state if they want to keep the service. The 89 towns affected -- mostly rural, lightly populated communities -- have received the police service fee-free since the 1920s, when the State Police was created primarily to patrol rural areas. Under the state budget adopted last month, the towns must now contribute $12.6 million toward the overall $80 million cost of the rural patrols. Gov. Jon S. Corzine has described the fees as a way to ensure towns are equitably sharing costs for services. But critics, including local officials and some South Jersey legislators, blasted the billing move. They said Corzine neglected to consult with municipal leaders and that the governor was treating rural communities unfairly. "There was no open discussion about this," said Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego, R-Burlington. "The administration simply mailed out a bill demanding payment, or police protection will cease." State Sen. Philip E. Haines, R-Burlington, noted Corzine's original budget plan called for Camden to contribute $800,000 for its State Police service, but that fee later was dropped. "If rural communities must pay for state police services, then so too should large cities," said Haines. The billing information went to 15 towns in Burlington County and one, South Harrison, in Gloucester County. Southampton faces the largest potential payment -- about $515,000. Four towns -- Hainesport, Mansfield, Shamong and Tabernacle -- would each pay more than $200,000. Corzine originally proposed charging a statewide total of $20 million. He trimmed that amount to ensure that municipal payments for full-time service won't result in more than a $100 increase per household over 2007 average residential property taxes. Home property tax increases would be capped at $71 in towns getting part-time service. The state Department of the Treasury posted a list on its Web site Wednesday of potential charges for affected municipalities. Towns have until Dec. 15 to decide whether to stay with the State Police or find other police protection. "One of the reasons these things were set up was so that people could plan ahead and also maybe take alternative routes," Corzine said. "Maybe they don't need to go that route, they want to go another." Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, called the letters sent to towns disturbing. "The reason I'm so aggravated is our whole vision and focus is to supposedly minimize property taxes, and this isn't accomplishing that," Van Drew said. Earlier this month, Buena Vista and six other towns filed complaints with the state Council on Local Mandates. Since then, other towns have followed suit. They claim the state Police patrol fees violate the "state mandate, state pay" amendment to the state Constitution. The League of Municipalities plans to file a brief in support of the towns, said William Dressel Jr., the executive director. Corzine said he is trying to be fair for all New Jersey residents. "There are other people that are already paying for their law enforcement and public safety," the governor said. "I'm pledged to make sure we work through these issues so that we're sensitive to needs, but these charges have to be paid for and somebody's getting the benefit of those charges." Ninety-six percent of the state's population pays for their own town's police service as well as service for the state's rural communities, said Tom Bell, a Treasury Department spokesman. He said charges for State Police patrols would average $39 per person in the rural towns, whereas people living in municipalities that have their own police department pay an average $328 per capita for police protection. "We think the way we've gone about this is more than fair," Bell said.
89 NJ towns get bills for State Police 7/31/08 Officials in the Garden State are vowing to fight charges for State Police services. Eighty-nine towns received bills totaling $12.6 million this week. They're being forced to pay for the first time to help offset a state budget shortfall. Upper Township in Cape May County has the highest, $657,889, while Walpack Township in Sussex County owes $2,696. The towns have until Dec. 15 to share the costs or pay for police protection on their own. Some Ocean County lawmakers say they'll send the state bills for local police patrols of state roads. Other towns want expanded coverage by county sheriffs. Port Republic Mayor Gary Giberson tells The Press of Atlantic City they won't pay until the state constitution is amended.
Businesses may get access boxes 7/31/08 Buena Vista is asking some business to install a "Knox-Box" to be mounted on the outside of their building to allow firefighters or police quicker access. Township nixes intoxication law A public intoxication law was repealed on public intoxication on Monday night due to it was adopted in 1998 in error. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
NJ starts "billing" local towns for state police coverage 7/29/08 6:05 p.m. Update - Mayors from across the state received bills from the State Treasurer Tuesday detailing a $12.5 million charge for State Police coverage. Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County was charged $303,521 according to a letter signed by treasurer R. David Rousseau. Mayor Chuck Chiarello estimates that this will represent between 10-15 percent of the town�s $2 million budget. �This will not be helpful or positive for our community,� Chiarello said. Property taxes will go up on average $100 a household for Buena Vista�s 2,498 residents and $534 for local businesses, Chiarello said. The 2009 budget requires municipalities receiving police protection from State Police to enter into a co-sharing agreement with the state to continue receiving those services, the letter states. In February, state officials gave municipalities three options: pay for State police services, create their own police force or consolidate with existing departments. The figures for each town were determined by �a model that allocated costs based on property value and types of property.� Rates for each town vary. Towns must pay by December 15. State officials and eight local mayors will meet tonight at 7 p.m. in Estell Manor to discuss the measure. Sens. Stephen Sweeney, D-Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, and Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic are expected to attend, in addition to mayors from Estell Manor, Weymouth Township, Corbin City, Port Republic, Folsom, Buena Vista, Egg Harbor City and Mullica Township. Little Egg Harbor and Mullica Township currently have their own police departments, while the other six are patrolled by State Police. The meeting is at the Intermunicipal Court of Weymouth, Estell Manor and Corbin City at the corner of Cape May and Cumberland avenues.
Buena Vista repeals public drunkenness ordinance 7/28/08 BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - Officials voted Monday to follow other towns in repealing an old ordinance forbidding public drunkenness, in response to a class-action lawsuit. "It's a risk," said Township Solicitor Mark Stein, explaining why a years-old - and hardly used - law laid the town open to a legal threat. "I wouldn't say more than that, but why not get rid of the risk?" The city rule in question prohibited anyone from being drunk in public, a separate offense from consuming alcohol in public. But a federal civil-rights suit filed recently by a Cherry Hill attorney argued that such laws were in contradiction of a state ruling in 1975 and seeks damages from 74 municipalities with such ordinances on the books. The suit stemmed from the case of a Moorestown man, Joseph McMullen, who was arrested last year while walking home from a bar in Maple Shade. His lawyer said previously he was seeking class action status and wanted compensation for anyone who had been charged legal fees under these local laws. While four other Atlantic County towns were named in the lawsuit, according to Stein, Buena Vista was not. Nevertheless, Mayor Chuck Chiarello said it was better to protect the town from later action. "We haven't even used this in years," Chiarello said. Stein confirmed that. "The ordinance had not been used since case law had suggested it was inappropriate," he said. The township committee voted unanimously to repeal the rule. The move does not protect people from getting cited for drinking in public or committing other violations while drunk. "There's not many times we actually take an ordinance back," Chiarello said, "but this is one of those times."
State Police service bill surprises local officials 7/30/08 Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County has received its bill for State Police services next year: $303,251 according to a letter signed by state Treasurer R. David Rousseau. Mayor Chuck Chiarello estimates this will represent between 10 percent and 15 percent of the town's budget, which was $2 million this year. Property taxes will increase an average of $100 per household for Buena Vista's 2,498 residents and $534 for local businesses, Chiarello said Tuesday. Mayors from across the state received bills from the State Treasurer this
week, detailing a In Atlantic County, Port Republic was charged $49,000, Estell Manor $87,000, Corbin City $25,000, Folsom $88,000 and Weymouth Township $80,000, according to State Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic. Although the charge was expected, many lawmakers expressed surprise the bills came this soon. "We could have probably come up with a solution instead of just sending out bills," said Senate Majority Leader Stephen M. Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland. "This was the easy way out." "All of us were assured that there would be a continual dialogue," said Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic. "I did not know (the mayors) were receiving these bills." Folsom Mayor Tom Ballistreri said traffic ticket numbers were down in his town. "My revenues are down 50 percent. That means the state troopers aren't writing as many tickets. Now we are being charged for a service that is down?" he asked. "This pretty much sums up New Jersey." The 2009 budget requires the 76 towns receiving full-time police protection from State Police to enter into a co-sharing agreement with the state to continue receiving those services, the letter stated. In February, state officials gave municipalities three options: pay for State Police services, create their own police force or consolidate with existing departments. A Dec. 15 deadline is detailed in the letter for towns to inform the states of their plans. Figures for each town were determined by "a model that allocated costs based on property value and types of property." Whelan joined Sweeney, Van Drew and State Sen. Chris Connors, R-Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic, in a meeting with six Atlantic County mayors in Estell Manor to discuss the charge. "I think this is wrong. This is not treating municipalities fairly," Connors said. Mayors from Estell Manor, Weymouth Township, Corbin City, Folsom, Buena Vista and Mullica Township were in attendance. Mullica Township has its own police department, while the other six are patrolled by State Police. "I truly believe we are opening Pandora's box," Estell Manor Mayor Joe Venezia said. The State Police was established in 1921 to patrol rural areas unable to fund individual police departments, he said. Estell Manor will join Buena Vista and six other New Jersey municipalities in a complaint filed with Council on Local Mandates claiming that the fee for State Police is an unfunded mandate and that it is unconstitutional to charge towns for services. The League of Municipalities also voiced concern Tuesday. "We're sensitive to the state's plight, but they aren't sensitive to ours," Executive Director William G. Dressel, Jr. said. "I'm trying to come up with a fair way, and it's becoming increasingly difficult. It's their way or the highway. That may not be the message they are sending, but that's what the mayors are getting." The League supports a bill proposed by Van Drew and Assemblyman Nelson Albano, D-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic. The bill seeks to create revenue to fund state police by imposing a $40 surcharge on moving violations. "My bill would allow stabilization or decrease in property taxes for those that have traditional police and rural police," Van Drew said. "Everyone gains." Whelan and Sweeney stated they support the bill as well as did all mayors in attendance. Officials from the treasurer's office did not return calls Tuesday. The League will host a meeting for all rural mayors Sept. 4 at the College of New Jersey to discuss strategies for municipalities.
Plan for pavilion helps boy's parents cope 7/30/08 A gym in Collings Lakes is dedicated to the memory of Joey Reiser. Now his family will be adding a pavilion for everyone's enjoyment. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Buena Vista motocross rider seeks national championship at 7 years old 7/19/08 BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP - On the dresser just inside the back door of Bryton Carroll's family home, a framed pair of photos commemorate the moment when his father, Brian Carroll, won a motocross championship in 2001. As Carroll grins in a victorious smile, the family crowds around his wife, Stacey. Bryton, at six months, sits in Stacey's arms, an American flag bandana across his head to match his father's stars-and-stripes shirt. On Friday, Bryton is in his backyard, jumping his 50-cc bike over mounds of sandy earth or skidding around them on his family's 10-acre property, much of which has been carved out for a dirtbike course. At 7 years old, Bryton has just started his first full year as a competitive amateur motocross rider. Later this month, he leads his family to Tennessee, where he competes for the first time in the largest national motocross championship - the one his father won - and where family members expect he'll get more than a few nods of recognition from lifelong bikers who spot his shirt, a flag like his father wore. On this hot afternoon, as he biked around the track, he had donned his father's old shirt, which had been taken in at the seams to fit. "We don't push him into this," said Stacey, as she watched him hurtle over a mound. Bryton's love of the pastime brings a new generation to the family sport, even as that sport has become contentious in the area. Around the township, a ban on all-terrain vehicles and dirt bikes for kids on public property is strictly enforced, and there's no designated track nearby Stacey and Brian Carroll say riders on the road would benefit from having a safe, public place to kick up dust. "The nearest is Atco," Stacey said. To begin qualifying for the upcoming championship, the Nautiques/AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn's Ranch, Bryton traveled to another site in Englishtown earlier this year. With the motorsports park opening in Millville, the Carrolls say some motocross riding is planned for there down the line. Bryton's grandfather, also named Brian and also a former racer, hopes Bryton's success in qualifying for the race - 1,386 riders qualified for the championships out of a field of 20,000 riders - might bring some perspective on the sport in local eyes. "It takes discipline," he says. Bryton tried his first dirtbike when he was 2, and he now helps take care of his vehicle, a blue 50-cc Polini. His father stresses that his biking privileges would be withdrawn if Bryton's grades at John C. Milanesi Elementary School were to drop. "He hasn't tested us on that," he says. Bryton shows a competitive streak. "I want to make it," he says, contemplating his future in 7-year-old terms after a half-hour of riding. After watching him on the track, Stacey said she sees his confidence, born from years of practice. "No 7-year-old guns full-throttle over those bumps except him." Heading to Tennessee for the race starting July 28, Brian says he now sees the track not from a racer's perspective, but as a spectator. "As any father would be, I'm very proud of him," he says of Bryton, who will wear the flag design so his parents can see his diminutive frame among the crowd of competitors. "I just want him to take it at the speed he wants."
It's now OK to be drunk in Buena Vista 7/12/08 The Township Committee voted to revise the municipal code to repeal a 1998 prohibition on public drunkenness. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Car strikes UPS driver running from dog 7/11/08 A UPS driver was running from a dog and ran in front of a car. He was taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City. He was listed in fair condition. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Township must cut waste, stop increasing taxes 7/10/08 Opinion on the tax burden. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Buena Vista faces projected tax increase 7/9/08 The 2008 municipal budget was passed Monday night. Township officials project a 12.5 cent increase in the municipal tax rate.
For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Fun-filled party in Buena Vista 7/7/08 BVT held their 20th Annual Independence Day Celebration at the Michael Debbi Park in Richland. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
State police charge adds to tax burden 7/5/08 Opinion - Corzine and lawmakers say they are concerned about property taxes and want to reduce the tax burden on residents, but actions don't match their rhetoric. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
State budget will hurt rural communities 7/5/08 Opinion - Points on Corzine and his legislators. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
Farm life stressful, getting tougher 7/5/08 In Milmay, Hensel Farms says expenses have gotten so out of hand with fuel etc. even the profits have gotten slimmer. For complete details go to: www.thedailyjournal.com
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Address: Buena Vista Township
Copyright © 1999 [Buena Vista Township]. All rights reserved.
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