A Letter To The Editor From Linda Haythorn

A Letter to the Editor from Linda Haythorn:

As a 24-year resident of Lacey township and concerned citizen I have lived through too many increases.

Mayor Quinn and the Township Committee just passed the 2015 municipal budget which includes no tax increase. They are looking for a pat on the back for their efforts. They don’t deserve one.

After seven straight years of municipal tax levy increases, from just over $5 million to nearly $12 million (a 126.48% increase), Mayor Quinn finally held the line on outlandish municipal spending this year. Of course it is an election year for Mayor Quinn. His need for power and control finally compelled him to stabilize municipal taxes.

But wait. In order to do so, Mayor Quinn exhausted all township surplus funds. Surplus funds are important to a municipality to ensure that each year funds are available to provide necessary services no matter what emergency may arise. They are a tool to assist in stabilizing budgets but not the primary tool to balance budgets, unless you are the Lacey Township Committee and the sitting Mayor feels that his re-election is more important than the financial status of the township.

So what happens next year? With no surplus available and the likelihood that the surplus will not be regenerated in one year, there will be a huge tax increase. Mayor Quinn will not be up for re-election next year, but Lacey taxpayers will get the bill anyway. Way to go Mayor Quinn! Your need for power and control is so strong that you are willing to mortgage the future of Lacey taxpayers in an attempt to get re-elected.