READER'S WRITE

Dear Editor:

As is apparent from Councilwoman Ladiana’s recent letters to various newspapers, campaign season is officially upon us. And what better way to start than with an attack on the recently passed Atlantic Highlands budget. While attacking the “Republicans” for failing to have the “courage to tackle the tough cuts”, Councilwoman Ladiana conveniently omits some very pertinent facts.

To begin with, trying to equate Atlantic Highlands’ fiscal status with that of New Jersey is a stretch that even Plastic Man couldn’t make. Governor Corzine, faced with an unenviable budget deficit of more than 4 billion dollars submitted a budget that, even with various “cuts”, still increased $2.6 billion or approximately 9%. That increase will be borne by the taxpayers in the form of increased taxes. Because of the decreased subsidies from the state a “trickle down effect” is created which results in deficits at county and local levels. As a result, alternative methods must be implemented by those governments to balance their budgets. This normally involves increased business and property taxes or cuts to services. It is this “trickle down effect” that Assemblyman Corodemus was speaking about in his op-ed piece cited by Mrs. Ladiana.

Contrary to the current trend, the budget submitted and approved by the Atlantic Highlands Council, does not increase property taxes for municipal spending at all. Yet, as Mrs. Ladiana asserts it includes additional spending of approximately $500,000. This was achieved because increased revenues offset the additional spending. The Republicans, holding true to the campaign promise of 2005, are running the borough like a business. Good business practice dictates that when there is an increase in revenue, the money is taken and reinvested. That’s exactly what’s being done with this extra revenue- its being reinvested in the town to provide benefits for the town as a whole, such as new equipment for the police and fire department, absorption of cost increases, and funding the streetscape project without additional cost to the taxpayer.

Mrs. Ladiana also asserts that this budget, and the spending increases, is solely the work of the “Republicans”. Unless Councilman Carl Nolan secretly switched parties, the truth is this budget was a bipartisan effort. Councilman Nolan, a Democrat, was on the finance committee and worked with Republican Council members Peter Doyle and Kim Spatola to craft the budget. There should not be any “blame” assigned to this budget, but rather appreciation that the members of the finance committee were able to work together to achieve the result they did.

While criticizing the spending increase, Mrs. Ladiana is quick to point out that the “decrease” in municipal spending in 2004 and 2005 led to tax increases in both years. If spending was cut, where did the savings go?Certainly not to the people of Atlantic Highlands!

I think it’s a shame that Mrs. Ladiana can’t put partisan politics aside and applaud the hard work of the finance committee and the benefits achieved by this budget. Generally, cuts to municipalities’ aid by the state government forces local government to increase taxes or sacrifice services. This year “the Republicans” were able to do the exact opposite and increase service contributions without raising taxes. I guess in an election year, that’s not enough.

William L. Kuzmin
Atlantic Highlands, NJ

(William Kuzmin is a Republican candidate for Atlantic Highlands Borough Council)