What
is North Arlington's share of Extraordinary Aid in 2005?
Borough's
share of aid has decreased from $500K to $330K in two
years!
NORTH
ARLINGTON - Will local homeowners face a hike in
municipal property taxes because state aid is decreasing
from Trenton? That's the question many are pondering
with the adoption of the 2005 state budget that calls
for nearly $29 billion dollars in spending.
Despite
the clear financial need demonstrated by local
officials in various aid applications to the state,
it seems apparent that North Arlington will not
receive any additional funding despite the financial
burdens placed upon the community by the fiscal incompetence
of the past.
Democrats,
who took control of local government in 2004 for the
first time since 1981 have been dealt a series
of financial challenges including overdrafts, over
expenditures, charge backs and a mounting debt structure
which is the highest of all the South Bergen communities.
In this year's budget alone a $445,000 charge back that must
be satisfied.
The
borough's current debt payments now account for $2.6
million dollars annually in which nearly $1 million
dollars is just interest on the notes!
Earlier
this year, DCA Assistant Director Judith Tripodi wrote
to Mayor Russ Pitman that "The Division recognizes
the negative impact prior years' fiscal mismanagement
on Borough taxpayers."
Pitman,
in his plea to state officials to defer the $445,995.82
charge back over a series of budgets was rejected.
Pitman noted in his complaint that the borough's prior
administration could have bonded the complete cost
over twenty years.
Traditionally,
state legislators play a deciding role in how these
state dollars are awarded. The 80-member New Jersey
Assembly will face the voters in November. Freshman
Democrat Frederick Scalera of Nutley is seeking
reelection with former Republican and Passaic City Councilman
Gary Schaer. Longtime Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano, who
has represented North Arlington in the legislature since
1992 is leaving office. DiGaetano, who lost the GOP
primary for governor to Doug Forrester is rumored to
be considering a run for the state senate in 2007 against
incumbent Paul Sarlo who also serves as Mayor of Wood-Ridge.
DiGaetano previously ran for the state senate in 1987
in a special election to succeed former Senator Joe
Hirkala who died in office. DiGaetano was defeated by former
Senator Gabriel M. Ambrosio of Lyndhurst.
According
to sources, 99 of the state's 565 municipalities
qualified for Extraordinary Aid in the new state budget.
Extraordinary
Aid over the years has been a program with changing
standards and objectives. Larger communities
with greater financial need have found themselves
receiving less state aid than much smaller communities
with less financial challenges. Below is a table
of how state aid was awarded in the 36th legislative
district between 2002 and 2004*:
|
Municipality
|
2002
Award
|
2004
Award
|
+ / -
|
| |
|
|
|
| Nutley |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Passaic
City |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| North
Arlington |
$500,000
|
$330,000
|
-$170,000
|
| Lyndhurst |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Rutherford |
$700,000
|
$330,000
|
-$370,000
|
| East
Rutherford |
0
|
0
|
0
|
| Wallington |
0
|
$300,000
|
+$300,000
|
| Carlstadt |
0
|
$260,000
|
+$260,000
|
| Moonache |
$100,000
|
$175,000
|
+$75,000
|
| Garfield
City |
$700,000
|
$610,000
|
-$90,000
|
| Wood-Ridge |
$400,000
|
$400,000
|
0
|
|
TOTALS:
|
$2,400,000
|
$2,405,000
|
$5,000
|
|
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Municipal
Aid , 02 & 04
|
