Ridgewood municipal budget approved
MAY 29, 2014 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014, 4:01 PM
BY BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
For the second year in a row, there will be no new municipal taxes for the average Ridgewood property owner.
The Village Council approved the 2014 municipal budget and a zero percent tax increase by 3-1 vote Wednesday night. The municipal portion of this year’s tax bills will be $3,959, a figure based on the average residential home assessed at $688,358.
To Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who in the past two years has pushed village finance officers for flat taxes, this year’s $46.2 million spending plan and zero percent increase represents a tax relief for already-burdened residents.
“People aren’t making as much [salary] as they used to or are underemployed. We needed to get away from 7 percent tax increases. We needed to express our commitment and determination to do something about it,” Aronsohn said.
“This is the second year in a row that we will be adopting a budget that does not increase municipal taxes … it sets the way for the future. We can’t do this every year, but when we can we should,” he added.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/ridgewood-municipal-budget-approved-1.1026002#sthash.QRGTV6EN.dpuf
And when the town runs out of money because endless amounts have been wasted or stolen and we have a lot of snow, we can all pitch in with our little snow shovels.
Having no financial cushion is a recipe for disaster. The Greek gods did not like it when humans demonstrated hubris! …and made them suffer.
so so true, not a smart move at all. this was done for the mayor, it makes him look good. well he thinks so.
There is no such thing as a financial cushion in government.
If there is money there those in power will waste it.
Just look at the bike lane/traffic quieting debacle unfolding now.
The traffic was backed up to Chase Bank on Godwin and to the corner of Heights and West Ridgewood all day yesterday.
A third grader could have predicted the congestion created when you choke a busy road from 4 lanes to 2 lanes.
Stupid is as stupid does.
#3, that is funny because when I’m trying to decide something on the basis of obvious fact, I ask myself what my little grandchild would say. In this case I know he would say “That’s a terrible idea!”
Deliberately narrowing driving lanes to “calm drivers” has to be the stupidest plan I have ever heard, especially in this era of wider and wider cars–and trucks go through there, too–more than once I have had to back up because a truck driver didn’t know the clearance and got stuck.
Personally, I feel calmer when the lane is WIDE. It does NOT make me drive faster! Just more comfortably and securely.
The grant is small compared to total cost.
If this mayor ever attempts higher office and starts to boast about his accomplishments I will be there writing letters to the editor and anything else I can do tell the truth about every way he beat up this town for personal glory.
Seemingly, what is good for the goose is NOT good for the gander with regard to Ridgewood Village Council members
During the May 28, 2014 Village Council meeting at which a formal vote was taken on the Village’s 2014 Municipal Budget, Village Clerk Heather Mailander informed those present that Councilman Thomas M, Riche would be marked as “absent” in connection with the vote because he was not physically present at the meeting. Mr. Riche was marked as “absent” despite his issuance of a signed statement, which was read aloud by Ms. Mailander, indicating his objection to the budget. This blogger wonders if Mr. Riche was informed that he could legally cast his vote on the budget via telephone or internet?
Fast forward – Sources within Village Hall are reporting that Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck will not be physically present during the Village Council’s July 1, 2014 Reorganization Meeting. Instead, Ms. Hauck will be vacationing overseas with members of her family. But, she will be permitted to cast several official votes related to Village Council matters that day via Skype. Perfectly legal? Yes. Despicable? Yes. Disgraceful? Yes. Yet another slap in the faces of Ridgewood taxpayers? Yes again. Will the 3 Amigos ever stop? Obviously not. And the band played on . . .
2016 can’t come fast enough for this blogger.