Politics & Government

Brick Democrats, Republicans Differ on Reasoning Behind Referendum

Mayor says reduction in state aid to blame, Democrats point to budgeting practices of their rivals

Though members of the township council have been quick to stress that the decision to vote in favor of, or against, a potential in April should not be a partisan one, Democrats and Republicans in town have different views of the measure.

Township voters will most likely be presented with a referendum question on the April 27 school ballot that will ask whether to approve $8.4 million in spending outside of the state’s 2 percent cap on municipal tax levy increases. The referendum’s passage is necessary to in numerous township departments, according to officials, and if it is defeated.

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis has pointed to a reduction in state aid from Trenton as one of the primary reasons the township must exceed the cap to maintain current service levels, but Democrats in town lay the blame on the budgeting tactics employed by the all-Republican governing body in recent years.

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“We shouldn't be in this position in the first place,” said Anthony Lazroe, chairman of the Brick Democratic Party. Lazroe told Brick Patch that he feels Acropolis has mischaracterized the reasoning of why the township must exceed the cap to maintain services.

Acropolis has said declining state aid over the past three years to the tune of $5.56 million has left a budget hole which can be plugged by reducing services or approving the referendum. Lazroe said Republicans have used “budgeting gimmicks” such as using one-time revenue transfers from the Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority to fund the township operating budget instead of raising taxes incrementally.

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The township received $1,702,570 from the utilities authority to use toward the 2010 operating budget, according to public records.

“Way back when Dan Kelly was the mayor, he presented a budget that [raised taxes] 13 cents,” said Lazroe. “They laughed at him. He said, 'otherwise, we're going to be reduced to non-recurring sources of revenue.' ”

But Acropolis said had it not been for the state aid cuts, there would be no need for a referendum at all this year, and utilizing funding transfers from the utilities authority in past years is an accepted practice to stem tax increases.

“Sometimes, you don't want a good story to get in the way of the facts,” he said of the Democrats’ claims. “The fact is that 5-plus-million dollars in state aid hasn't been paid to Brick over the past three years.”

Acropolis also defended his administration’s fiscal record, saying he has reduced the size of the township’s workforce by 18 percent and looked for ways to save taxpayers’ money.

“We actually had a year when we cut the budget $3 million,” he said. “At this point, we say with all these losses, we're going to let the voters decide which services they want and which they don't.”

The township’s layoff plan submitted to the state Civil Service Commission indicates both lines of reasoning are responsible for the need for a referendum. The letter, written by Deputy Business Administrator Juan Bellu, cites both a decline in state aid and the lack of one-time, non-recurring revenue sources as reasons why layoffs will be necessary if a referendum measure does not pass.

“Declining anticipated and unanticipated revenues over the years has thwarted the Township’s ability to replenish surplus balance to healthy levels,” Bellu wrote. “The Township will be unable to balance its 2011 budget at current staffing levels, if a referendum is not passed by the taxpayers.”


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