Team Santiago Set to Raise Taxes AGAIN!!

Hopefully everyone is staying safe during the corona virus epidemic. If this virus has taught us anything it is the need to plan ahead and be financial prepared. How many small businesses, families and cities will be able to weather this shutdown which is causing decreased income which affects us all in ways that are hard to fathom.

It is budget time and hopefully Team Santiago is watching and learning and realizing that their carefree spending at the beginning of their term is now going to cost the citizens that are barely hanging on.

Yes there will be another tax increase this year from Team Santiago. The budget is hidden away online for anyone that wants to search for it. It is in the agenda for this weeks meeting but only in the packet prompt. So much for transparency.

When Team Santiago took office, they were given close to a $9 million dollar surplus. In this year’s budget that number is now close to $1 million dollars.

The surplus is like a savings account for the city. It can be used for emergencies and to keep taxes stable. It is the money that was paid into taxes that through hard work and tough decisions was not spent. Yes, you are reading correctly, Team Santiago has gone through $8 million dollars in savings by the previous commission.

How? By giving new contracts with substantial raises to employees that were already under contract, by hiring of expensive out of town attorneys, by hiring new employees this does not include the new police officers as they were already in the budget. And the other reason: the $1.2 million dollar demolition that was not bid but given by Mr. Santiago. And yes the other commissioners did not have to vote for it, only one had to vote no and the demolition would have gone out to bid.

So the remaining surplus for the city is only $1.3 million dollars. What if Team Santiago decides to go ahead with another non-bid project? Then the city will have no savings, no safety net. The city may not be able to meet its expenses.

Team Santiago is mismanaging taxpayer’s money. There is another tax increase this year. A year that has started out with many citizens not working, with businesses closed, and no end in sight. This is when the commission needs to hold the line. Stop the wasteful spending. Along with this the Millville School Tax has also gone up. When will the elected officials realize enough is enough?

Call in to the Commission meeting on Tuesday April, 21st. at 5:30. Call (978)990-5000 with the access code of 197407. Tell Team Santiago not to raise our taxes!



Comments

Unknown said…
You forgot all the lawsuits they settled for large amounts of money, that the city could have won if went to court. I guess when one of your relatives is involved to make a lot of money on these settlements, you do it, damn the taxpayers and fiscal restraint. Keep up the good work Millville Insider, you provide us with information needed to educate the voters on which way to go in the future.
April 20, 2020 at 10:35 AM
Millville Insider said…
Thank you for the comment. Please help us spread the word. Pass the blog on to your friends. If more citizens speak up, maybe Team Santiago will start to listen.
April 20, 2020 at 12:10 PM
Denny said…
That whole commission needs to be voted out. Turn Millville RED.
April 20, 2020 at 4:29 PM
Unknown said…
Another tax increase, another year. More empty houses, more people leaving. More ratable money gone. Jobs now at a min. Where oh where will the money come from? It's time to get Suze Orman as our financial advisor for the city, someone who knows money and how to say NO to wasteful spending. It's going to be a giant burden on so many young and old. I can't ever forget one Commissioner saying when asked why his property taxes were always delinquent last year, his reply was. " I have other bills to pay". Here again, Pepitone is delinquent again as of Feb. 1st. unpaid and going to vote on another tax increase. What a big joke he is. He doesn't even have the decency or is it brains to abstain on this vote. Can't wait for 2021, not coming fast enough to safe Millville. Not much will be left. Shame - Shame - Shame. Commissioner's of Millville, You have sold us out. At 68 years old, never have I seen any Commission as worthless as this is one. Vote Red, get rid of the dead.
April 20, 2020 at 5:44 PM
Santias gotta go said…
Start finding a team to run NOW if you havent already
April 21, 2020 at 12:03 PM
Dan Echles said…
Do you think going to court to "win" would be free? Sometimes you spend much more fighting it in court rather than settling. Best to educate yourself on both sides of the scenario.... Millville Insider - how about you report ALL the information not just what fits Jack's side.... pathetic.
May 11, 2020 at 9:43 AM
Dan Echles said…
Please, you already know who is going to decide who the next batch of Commissioners are....
May 12, 2020 at 3:02 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Team Santiago Raises Your Taxes Again!!!

It is no surprise that Team Santiago raised Millville’s taxes again. Last year it was by 4.5% and this year it is 5%.   The county and the school board also raised their taxes so the taxpayer in Millville is looking at a 10% increase in their property taxes. This comes at a time when many individuals are out of work due to COVID-19 and there is no end in sight. This affects not only the taxpayers but every citizen in Millville as landlords will have to increase rents and businesses will have to charge more to meet expenses. So what did Team Santiago have to say for themselves when they voted for the tax increase –nothing. As usual they did not answer the public’s questions and did not explain their votes. Mr. Pepitone once again voted for the tax increase even though he is behind on paying his own taxes. He should understand the burden of taxes as it seems to be a burden to him. In his ending comments Mr. Parent said this was the toughest budget he had to work with (which
Read more

ANOTHER LAWSUIT AGAINST THE CITY

 Chief Farabella was just reappointed for another 3 years even though a lawsuit was filed against  Farabella and Pepitone by a city employee.The lawsuit is worth reading.  The allegations, if true, are startling. These allegations also raise the question should Farabella have been reappointed at this time? Did the commissioners look into the allegations prior to voting? The lawsuit involves the departments of Parent and Pepitone who both voted to reappoint Farabella. Did they do their due diligence? Of interest is line 55 in the lawsuit. It clearly states that Doug Long was performing legal duties for the city in 2019. Didn't the commissioners claim that Mr. Long was not involved in the city, only Marmero and Grace. Remember at election time the lack of transparency, the lies, the lack of due diligence and the waste of your tax payers money. Millville needs commissioners who are transparent, who do their due diligence and have the interests of the citizens of Millville at heart. Th
Read more

WHO WILL FILL QUINN'S VACANT SEAT?

Now that Quinn has resigned for the second time, what happens to his empty seat? The commission has the option to appoint someone until the next election which is November 2022. Who do the new commissioners think that person should be? The last time Quinn resigned, Commissioner Sooy held fast to the belief that the person who came in 6th in the election should fill the seat. This time the 6th place person is Robert McQuade.  This is the only fair  scenario as the present commission has not even been sworn in yet. Hopefully Commissioner Sooy and the new commissioners will agree that Mr. McQuade should be appointed. Robert Mcquade put the time in to run for the office. The voters had enough faith in Mr. McQuade that he came in 6th with over 2000 votes. It seems fair that he takes the seat.  In November 2022 anyone can run for this open seat and then the voters will decide who the commissioner will be for the remaining three years.   Comment and post who you believe should fill the open s
Read more