Public Forum in Berkeley Heights to Discuss Benefits of Municipal Consolidation in New Jersey

With New Jersey likely facing another $10 billion shortfall in 2011 and state aid being slashed to every town in the state, there has never been a better time to discuss solutions for our state’s financial woes.

Courage to Connect New Jersey, a non-partisan, grassroots organization, invites the public to attend a free forum at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 23 at the VFW Hall, 15 Locust Ave., in Berkeley Heights. The forum will offer an enlightening look at why our state is teetering on bankruptcy and the only logical, long-term solution – consolidating towns.

The discussion will be hosted by Gina Genovese, a former mayor who now serves as executive director of Courage to Connect New Jersey. Genovese, owner of Gina’s Tennis World on Springfield Avenue and a former Berkeley Heights resident, hosted a previous forum in Berkeley Heights on January 12. 

“The response to our initial public forum was tremendous,” Genovese said. “This second meeting will allow Courage to Connect New Jersey to bring its important message to a new and expanded group of concerned citizens in Berkeley Heights.”

Bob Robinson, a former New Providence councilman, sponsored a similar event in New Providence last October. “This is an important discussion for Berkeley Heights and the surrounding communities,” Robinson said. “Consolidation is a key concept we need to consider. With the new 2% limit on property tax growth in effect, we should be looking at all ideas that will help meet this state mandated requirement and will help improve our towns.”

Genovese will present the newly released “Courage to Connect New Jersey Guidebook: The Tools for Municipal Consolidation” at the forum. It is a comprehensive manual that provides step-by step measures residents can take to form municipal consolidation study commissions and, ultimately, consolidate communities. For a free copy of the guidebook or for more information, visit www.CourageToConnectNJ.org.