07/13/15
Ridgewood NJ, Is it just me, or does the draft wording of the proposed non-binding referendum question suggest that property tax revenues will not be required to finance or build a “downtown parking garage?”
The proposed wording of the question voters would see on Election Day, read aloud by Mayor Paul Aronsohn during last Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, is as follows:
“Do you support a proposal to finance and build a downtown parking garage on the Hudson Street lot, located at the corner of Hudson Street and South Broad Street, by bonding up to 15 million dollars of public funds, which would be paid for by using parking revenues.”
Doesn’t the wording of this question imply that parking revenues will be the sole source of funding required garage financing and construction?
So what happens if there’s a recession, like we had in 2008, and people cut way back on shopping and dining out. No shoppers, and no diners means no parking revenue. Then who’s left holding the bag? You guessed it folks!
Remember fellow voters, the Village Hall renovation project was sold to taxpayers with a projected cost of $4.5 million. At $11 million, they stopped counting. To this day, we still don’t know how much was spent renovating Village Hall.
I’m skeptical that parking revenues alone can pay for a $15 million garage. I’m also skeptical that the brain trust at Village Hall would be actually able to bring in a project on time and on budget.
Before you enter the voting booth this coming November, know exactly what you’re voting for and how it might impact your pocketbook/wallet (i.e., property tax increases).
NONBINDING REFERENDA – ALL MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTIES
The governing body of any municipality or county may “ascertain the sentiment of the legal voters of the municipality or county upon any question or policy pertaining to the government or internal affairs thereof” by adopting an ordinance or resolution at a regular meeting requesting that the proposition appear on the ballot at the next general election. The request must be filed with the county clerk no later than 74 days before the election. (N.J.S.A. 19:37-1 et seq.)
Once a municipal governing body has adopted a resolution or ordinance placing a nonbinding proposition before the voters and transmitted the request to the county clerk, the voters of the municipality have the power to place a reasonably related nonbinding question or policy before the voters by presenting to the governing body a petition signed by 10% or more of the registered and qualified voters of the municipality. The governing body must adopt a resolution at its next regular meeting requesting the county clerk to print the proposition as formulated and expressed in the petition on the ballot and must file the request with the clerk no later than 60 days prior to the election. (N.J.S.A. 19:37-1.1)
