A reader from Plainsboro left this comment on the News’ March 15 story on Plainsboro’s municipal budget, which was first presented with a 1.3 cent tax increase and then revised to include only a .96 cent increase.
“Reducing a tax increase from 1.3 cents to .96 cents is still increasing taxes. The increase mentioned above is only the municipal purpose tax. There is also a municipal library tax and a municipal open space tax, both levied and collected by the township committee.
“We’ve had increases in taxes almost every single year in the last decade. When will Plainsboro residents see the relief they need to see? When will the township committee stop spending money with wanton disregard for its residents’ wallets? Did we need a $4 million recreation center in the middle of a recession? Do we need to put all of our professional services contractors (municipal attorney, public defender, etc.) on the state pension payroll? Do we need to continue to fund our mayor’s second retirement when we are already paying his public pension?
“Please, think before you vote. Think of the crippling debt that the bond ordinances passed several years ago will have on the township’s residents in fewer than 10 years. Think about the future township committee who will have to make deeply unpopular decisions to balance our budget in years to come. Think about the massive maintenance costs of our “new and improved facilities,” the unpredictable amounts of corporate PILOTs, the inattention and outright ignorance pled by this administration in attracting tenants and business owners to major shopping centers in town that remain vacant, and the dwindling amount of state aid to municipalities. Think about what it’ll do to our credit rating. Think about how it’ll affect our residents. Think about what will happen to our schools when middle-class folks can’t afford to live here any more. And think about the long-term effect it will have on the housing market in our area. Please think about it.”
