Mayor's Message

2008 Year In Review

by Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D.

For my final column of 2008, I thought I would briefly review the past year and then outline some of our goals for 2009. While the headlines are filled with unnerving reports of economic troubles, particularly in the state of New Jersey, Middletown Township has managed to buck the trend with some good news on a number of fronts.

First, I am proud to say that Middletown was named one of the top 100 places to live in the United States by Money Magazine for the second time in three years (Last year, the magazine only considered towns under 50,000 in population). The magazine cited among others, the township’s “low crime rate, good schools and abundance of cultural and leisure activities.” Middletown also had its magnificent AA bond rating reaffirmed by both Moody’s Investor Services and Standard and Poors. This is a testament to the town’s sound financial operations, low debt and stable tax base. In addition, Middletown’s budgeting process was once again held up as a model for the rest of the state to follow by the League of Municipalities, who include it as must reading in their elected officials handbook. Our budget also passed the rigorous state audit with flying colors once again, and our purchasing department has a remarkable streak of flawless audits for twelve years in a row.

This year, Middletown also saw the completion of the Recreation Master Plan, which will help to guide us in upgrading and expanding our wonderful recreation facilities in the coming years. We are hopeful that we can attend to those facilities needing repairs and improvements and expand others to provide activities that are underrepresented in our present offerings. The new Middletown Arts Center, in its first full year of operation, has surpassed all expectations in terms of event attendance and participation in the dozens of programs available for every age and ability and promises to be a beacon of artistic expression and activity for decades to come.

Middletown has also taken the lead in the state by showing our support for the brave soldiers overseas fighting to protect our country and way of life. Through generous donations from our fellow citizens, we were able to send nearly two tons of supplies to our adopted troop, Charlie Company of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Iraq. I was never more proud of Middletown and its wonderful residents as when the commanding officers told me that the supplies we sent to Iraq actually saved the lives of American soldiers. Villagers became allies after troops distributed pencils and paper, items that we take for granted, but mean the world to children who can just as easily be taught to read and write as they can to set a roadside bomb. Our generosity made an enormous difference in the struggle to calm a troubled region.

Now, for the coming year. While there are many things that we are looking forward to accomplishing next year, perhaps none is as critical as addressing local property taxes. To summarize the property tax structure, the Board of Education accounts for approximately 64% of the tax bill, while the county portion is 18% and the remaining 18% goes to the township. The township portion goes to provide essential services (i.e. police, public works, parks and recreation), infrastructure repairs (i.e. paving roads), equipment purchases (i.e. police cars, snow plows) and energy costs (fuel, heating oil). As the cost of these items increase, so too does the pressure on local property taxes. Thus, we find ourselves at a crossroads. Clearly, we cannot depend on support from Trenton. Indeed, they have exacerbated the situation by cutting our municipal aid and foisting costly unfunded mandates and pension costs upon us. Simply put, we can no longer afford to wait for the state government to get its house in order in the hopes of property tax relief trickling down to the suburban towns.

We must get creative and find ways to cut costs and pay for essential services without relying on local property taxes. To that end, we are looking at a number of ways to shift the burden from the taxpayer to alternative means of funding essential services. One of the most promising will be the savings from the expanded Green Initiative. We have already cut our energy costs in half on select vehicles by simply using used cooking oil as a fuel additive. Increasing interlocal agreements will allow the town to generate additional revenue through new or existing services that can be utilized by other municipalities. Instituting a farmers market will not only foster community spirit and provide an outlet for locally grown produce, but provide a new source of revenue for the town. Aggressively pursuing businesses to fill existing commercial space will increase the commercial tax base without sacrificing open space. Increasing participation in township programs helps to support departments through fees, rather than taxpayer dollars. These are just some of the ideas that we will implement in the coming year.

In closing, I just want to thank all of the residents for doing their part to make Middletown the special place it is. Despite the uncertainty that we face economically and the slippery slope that finds New Jersey struggling to divest itself of the unenviable distinction of having the highest taxes in the nation, Middletown has managed to maintain its high standard of living and unshakeable community spirit. I can promise that we will continue to work tirelessly to see that Middletown remains the great community it is, and, as it has so many times in the past, sets the example for all that is right with New Jersey.

-This article appeared in the December 2008/January 2009 issue of Middletown Matters, the township's newsletter.