Twp. wants increased surcharges
"The taxpayers were told the lottery would solve our school tax problems. Anyone see their school tax going down?" - Elias Abilheira Committeeman
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer

MILLSTONE - The township has gone on the record supporting increasing New Jersey State Police surcharges in lieu of raising property taxes to fund state budget shortfalls, but one committeeman disagrees with its stance.

The Township Committee voted 3-1 at its May 7 meeting to pass a resolution in support of the state police increasing their surcharges. Committeeman Elias Abilheira cast the dissenting vote and Mayor Nancy Grbelja was absent.

The township has no municipal police force and relies on the state police for services.

Gov. Jon Corzine's proposed fiscal year 2009 budget identifies a $21.5 million shortfall in N.J. State Police funding. The administration plans to start charging municipalities for state police services, which would affect municipal budgets and require towns to raise local purpose taxes.

The proposed budget also calls for cuts in municipal aid, which would affect local taxes. Governor Directive 15 would further affect municipal tax rates as it calls for towns tomeet new security requirements in their courts without state funding for the changes.

Mayors and othermunicipal officials first met with the state attorney general and the state police on Feb. 22, 2007, to offer a solution to the state police shortfall by increasing surcharges on fines levied by the police. They again met with the governor's deputy chief of staff and other members of the administration and the state police on March 19, 2008, to reiterate the solution and recommend that the administration set appropriate surcharge rates that would cover the shortfall and return money to communities to cover the costs of the additional court security expenses.

State statutes permit the Motor Vehicle Commission Governing Board to increase surcharges.

Millstone's resolution states, "Charging those who violate state statutes would fund the state police budget shortfall in lieu of relying on New Jersey property taxpayers and is a sensible solution to address the problem."

When asked why he voted against the resolution, Abilheira said the shortsighted practice of New Jersey politicians to increase fees, fines and debt to deal with overspending and waste at state and local levels is foolish.

Abilheira said the state doesn't need gimmicks, it needs to cut waste and spending.

"The taxpayers were told the lottery would solve our school tax problems," he said. "Anyone see their school tax going down?"

He continued, "Giving government more money to solve the problem is like giving a crack addictmore crack tomake himbetter."

He said voting yes on such a resolution makes for a good sound bite or line in the newspaper.

"Some people will think you are doing something to deal with the issue, but it does nothing to benefit the residents," he said.