Upper Freehold plans to exceed budget cap
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

UPPER FREEHOLD - The township passed an ordinance to exceed themunicipal budget cost-of-living allowance despite having heard an earful from members of the public.

In a 4-1 vote on April 3, the Township Committee passed the ordinance to establish a cap bank. Deputy Mayor Bob Faber cast the dissenting vote.

The Local Government Cap Law limits municipalities' budget increases to 2.5 percent unless they authorize by ordinance a 3.5 percent increase over the previous year's appropriation.

The ordinance that Upper Freehold passed will allow the township's budget to increase by $122,183.

Township Attorney Granville Michael Magee said the township needs the cap exemption due to rising fuel prices.

"If gas prices go up 40 cents [per gallon] or so, this allows us breathing room so we can keeps trucks and firetrucks on the road," he said.

Magee said other costs beyond the committee's control may also rise and that the ordinance gives the township a little emergency space in its budget.

Resident Art Bokor said, "You have to stop the madness."

Bokor said people are chastising Gov. Jon Corzine for what the governing body in Upper Freehold should do - balance the budget.

Former Mayor Bob Abrams told the Township Committee to staywithin the cap.

"The state of New Jersey has forgotten about cap limits, which is why we are in the position we are today," he said.

Former Mayor William Miscoski, who runs two local businesses, agreed with Abrams.

"Some years are lean, some are good," he said. "My golf course has been lean for the past five years and my employees haven't gotten a raise."

Township Administrator Barbara Bascom commented that private-sector finance has a different set of rules than public finance.

Mayor Steve Alexander said that both Chief Financial Officer Dianne Kelly and Township Auditor Michael Cesaro recommended the ordinance. Alexander, who has served on the governing body for five years, said putting the budget together iswhat the committee does best.

"We've only raised taxes two times in the five years I've been on the committee," he said. "The Township Committee took a salary cut to show how committed we are."

Alexander said the township does well with its fiscal responsibilities.

"I take exception that this committee now or in the past has not been fiscally responsible," he said.

Miscoski recalled that when he served, the budget was always the toughest task.

"We'd cut $50 here, $20 there," he said. "I'd think,What the hell am I doing?"

Committeeman Stanley Moslowski Jr., who is serving his first year on the governing body, said that before he started to serve, he thought about the budget theway the public does. He said the committee has gone through the budget and has knocked off small amounts wherever it could.