Oh Please don't tax me; even if it's just a "few" dollars more

Political Hype. The Don't Tax "Me" cry..For a Few Dollars more..

From a recent LTE by Riddhi Shah
Mayor Soriano is set to increase our taxes in a record amount of over 6%. Really?

During election time, Mr. Soriano criticized other administrations for taking money from the sewer and water surplus in order to balance the budget. But, as I along with other members from our temple read the budget, Mr. Soriano is no different from the previous administrations that he was so vocal against.

Rebuttal to the partisan hype of Mr. Shah letter

When all else fails in issues that really count in situations we face as a society; we turn to what is best for me; instead of all of us. We must however begin with the very system itself with its built in unfairness especially in the realm of taxation; for example, corporate offshore havens and laws that allow wealth to go proportionately less taxed; than wages for example. Allowing material acquisition and money hoarding for its own sake, possession of money beyond reason instead of organizing it for necessary things, like required infrastructure or a new energy conversion; and green new jobs; sponsored by yes; government.
When the powers now controlling DC fail to give to the States of the United States, and rather use our tax dollars for foreign corporate interventions to extract others wealth and destroy indigenous cultures or undermine their governments which would resist this, we see the system for what it is, an abuse of power of wants not needs.

Perhaps Mister Shah should start a movement to have his temple and all so-called religious institutions to join the tax collective; and make their fairshare to the common; or better yet the common good. We face a system of injustice, lacking in civic virtue. A nation can not be based on individual freedoms and privileges for the few against the many. What good is religious freedom; when economic equity or justice is lacking?

Mr. Shah; you must not have read Councilwoman Janice McCarthy's rebuttal and letter to the editor printed in June; or is it she is from an opposite political party?
It’s not an exaggeration to ask how the town recovers an estimated $9M of its operating revenue that was replaced with utility surplus without raising taxes, fees or cutting expenses.

Also misleading were statements made suggesting increased ratables impacted revenue to support a zero tax increase. While increasing ratables $27million was an accomplishment, it was significantly insufficient to budget a zero tax increase. If it was it shouldn't have been necessary to supplement revenue with $3.2million in utility surplus that year.

Finally after praising the benefits of aggressively using the utility surplus to balance the budget for 6 years, now apparently in 2018 and 2019 it is no longer good policy. Encouraging the town to take steps to more aggressively reduce taking surplus
I assume is made with the understanding the greater the reduction in using utility surpluses means replacing those funds from other sources like taxes, fees and/or cutting expenses. If there is some other source to replace the reductions in the utility surplus please enlighten me.

Municipal finances are complicated and making broad statements are both misleading and often inaccurate as they were last week.

One more thing, it was also misleading to use Mayor Letts budgeting a zero tax once in 11 years to support depleting millions in utility surplus to supplement millions in revenue. It’s a mischaracterization of Mayor Letts' record."

Lastly consider this fact the last administration incurred unjust and fabricated legal bills IWT Law Firm in the Carifi matter. This same law firm allowed a grassroots successful endeavor to be sabotaged; waterview. RD developers walked away with $3.7M in local open space funding for a buffer zone. IWT is now refusing to pay portions of this legal fee which it incurred on Parsippany taxpayers...Where is the outcry over all this? Hush Hush...

The last tax municipal tax proposal to pay outright for need water infrastructure would cost the "average homeowners" $3.46 (thereabouts). It was refused in addition 11-jobs were lost. When we see the collective impact of what we can do if we stick together as a community; your talking coffee money.
Lastly consider this our sanitation tipping fees because of lack of source separation of materials in now nealy $2M. We are all dragged down by those who do not practice discipline. Is this fair to those in the community that do? So Parsippany accepts the impacts of corporate franchise waste products; with little voice from sources like Mr. Shah; or others mentioned in his letter..."American creed": those whom have the most ; shall contribute the least...

Councilwoman McCarthy rebuttal letter June 2020...Thank you Councilwoman..

"Statements made recently about the town's finances need clarification. Municipal finances are complicated and not explained by making broad statements that may sound good but are usually inaccurate and misleading as they were at the last Council meeting. Municipalities that operate with sound fiscal policies generate sufficient revenue through taxes, fees, grants and other income to cover or maybe even exceed expenses. So making a statement that equates Jersey City with Parsippany to support zero taxes is very misleading. Jersey City during those zero tax years was operating with a $45M surplus.Parsippany on the other hand was operating with a deficit. Instead of raising sufficient revenue to cover expense through taxes, fees, grants etc. it relied heavily on the utility surplus. Consistently increasing the amount of surplus used each year to keep taxes low even though utility surpluses were declining. This is not sound fiscal policy.
The 1.86% average tax rate over those 8 years that was mentioned, if that’s correct, is great if it was achieved thru the normal operating process. But the 1.86% was achieved because of the efficient operation and revenue from the sewer utility not the town. Essentially the sewer utility was operating the town not the other way around.
It’s not an exaggeration to ask how the town recovers an estimated $9M of its operating revenue that was replaced with utility surplus without raising taxes, fees or cutting expenses.
Also misleading were statements made suggesting increased ratables impacted revenue to support a zero tax increase. While increasing ratables $27million was an accomplishment, it was significantly insufficient to budget a zero tax increase. If it was it shouldn't have been necessary to supplement revenue with $3.2million in utility surplus that year.

Finally after praising the benefits of aggressively using the utility surplus to balance the budget for 6 years, now apparently in 2018 and 2019 it is no longer good policy. Encouraging the town to take steps to more aggressively reduce taking surplusI assume is made with the understanding the greater the reduction in using utility surpluses means replacing those funds from other sources like taxes, fees and/or cutting expenses. If there is some other source to replace the reductions in the utility surplus please enlighten me.
Municipal finances are complicated and making broad statements are both misleading and often inaccurate as they were last week.
One more thing, it was also misleading to use Mayor Letts budgeting a zero tax once in 11 years to support depleting millions in utility surplus to supplement millions in revenue. It’s a mischaracterization of Mayor Letts' record."