City of Millville Budget 2018: Part II
The 2018 budget has been introduced. The good news for the
taxpayers is that in its present form there is no tax increase. Commissioner
Pepitone is still pushing to increase your taxes so stay tuned.
The budget presentation was given by the auditor for the
city. He made comments about the positive position the city is in due to an
increase in the tax collection rate and there was an increase in the surplus.
These positive results are due to actions taken by the previous commission. One
of the points that Commissioner Pepitone made during the recent election was
that surplus was being used up too quickly. However, now that he is elected he
voted to use even more than the commission he criticized. He did that to avoid a tax increase this year.
The result is a decrease in surplus to $2.9 million. Why is this
important?
The recent need to demolish a building on East Main Street
has been in the news lately. The price tag for the demolition is $1.2 million.
That is not the full cost. This $1.2 million does not include the lawyer and
engineering fees, the tipping fees, nor the dumpster fees. Where is this money
going to come from? If surplus is used that will bring the present surplus down
to 1 million dollars. This commission is on a slippery slope.
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