On Monday, March 14, the West Windsor Council agenda meeting was dominated by interested residents and non-residents concerned about those family members unable to speak for themselves. You know, the ones with four legs. Here we have an active, visible, in-house “Dog Whisperer” skillful in helping animals, yet we have a hidden mayor unable to find savings within budgets he has, arguably, reviewed for 19 years.
Yes, when the mayor is asked for solutions, all we hear is crickets. We hear in his annual boilerplate, 10-year-old State of the Township Address the usual platitudes rife with innuendo and double-speak. I know the preamble by heart: “I would like to thank my wife, my children, my in-laws, the grandchildren. Let’s just call it “swivel-lips,” the ability to speak out of both sides of one’s mouth.
The solutions for budget savings abound — whether municipal or school. It all starts with the budget assumptions and a constructive review of wants vs. needs. In my 27 years of challenging the nightmare of forever increasing taxes, we continue to fall woefully short. Our residents drink the Kool Aid of ever-increasing municipal and school costs until their children graduate. West Windsor is then viewed in their rear-view mirrors as they leave town and by some strange miracle, survive to focus on the rest of their lives. Our public sector residents retire, too. But neither to West Windsor nor the state of New Jersey.
The public is far smarter than I. Why waste time dealing with those who have a vested interest in preserving the status quo? Whether it is budget issues or something as personal as salvaging the unassuming position of Animal Control Officer, I am surprised that anyone is surprised!
If one writes and/or speaks with many suggestions, nothing happens. Taxes go up.
If one writes and/or speaks with ONE suggestion, nothing happens. Taxes go up.
If one does nothing, taxes go up. Pick your poison.
The West Windsor mayor has been doing the West Windsor budget cycle for 19 years and should know the budget contains ever-increasing wage, benefit, and contractual obligations over which he most certainly does have control. Haven’t you seen the mayor at countless school board meetings? Neither have I.
Instead of capitalizing on a full municipal meeting room on March 7 to update previous hollow promises, provide the leadership to motivate shared sacrifice, and present a plan for the future, our tired mayor obfuscated the opportunity and saluted three well-deserving community volunteers. Let’s go eat!
Our politicians, school and municipal, constantly opine and by their actions demonstrate they are better custodians and spenders of our money than are we, the earners.
Why do West Windsor residents continue to provide an unlimited checkbook with neither accountability nor transparency? The answer lies with YOU, the reader.
As our community physically deteriorates from neglect and a lack of urgency, we have no one to blame but ourselves for personal and sustained apathy. I would have repaired the Alexander Road rotary/roundabout potholes with a few bags of blacktop patch WEEKS AGO! The Township already contacted the State . . .
If our school and municipal budgets are so “tight,” certainly an actuarial firm will certify the budgets as sustainable. Since accountability starts at the top, the cuts should occur first at the top. We will restore an Animal Control Officer position because “working, productive employees eat first, while lawyers and figurehead leaders eat last.”
Council has spent over $800,000 on leasehold improvements and continued subsidies for the Arts Council and $800,000 on the endless Redevelopment smorgasbord plus endless legal bills — without voter approval. Yet West Windsor’s ACO financial “analysis” smells fishy.
Perhaps the Township utilizes its recently purchased $1.4 million, 28-acre JCC property as a no-kill animal shelter using buildings from a vacated American Cyanamid property? Cyanamid used to contribute over $2 million per year in tax revenue. I am certain a new veterinarian from Penn or Cornell would welcome the opportunity to eagerly serve our WW-P community as a complement to WW’s reinstated Animal Control Officer.
Pete Weale
144 Fisher Place, West Windsor
