I am struggling to comprehend the logic of the argument that the
Republican politicians and supporters in Hamilton Township are making that they
have held the line on property taxes. Republicans
took control of local government in the 2007 election, based primarily on a
claim that there was a $6 million budget shortfall in an $80 million budget. We
were told that this 7.5 percent budget gap was caused by a $4 million increase
in expenses and a $2 million shortfall in revenue. The Republican administration then raised the tax rate from 0.81 to 1.185.
This tax increase resulted in a net inflow of an additional $13 million in tax
revenue, an increase of 16.25 percent.
It seems quite disingenuous to now claim that the Republicans
held the line on taxes since taking office, when the 2008 tax increase has generated somewhere between $70 million and
$100 million in additional tax revenue in the past six years and a proposed
$98 million 2014 operating budget. Reducing taxes by $1 million next year seems
a rather weak accomplishment, given the budget
is now $19 million greater than when they took office.
As an engaged,
independent and concerned citizen, I have met and spent time with Democratic mayoral candidate
Barbara Plumeri and I am convinced that she and her team are what Hamilton
needs to bring honesty, transparency, accountability and integrity back to our
local government. Ms. Plumeri owes no favors, is not a career politician and is
dedicated to leading Hamilton into the future.
-- Joseph Zannoni,
Hamilton
Hamilton
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