Council Amends Township Municipal Budget

With the help of a nearly $2 million windfall from the sale of two cell towers, the West Orange Township Council is proposing a municipal budget for 2010 with a zero percent tax increase. The council will vote on the budget at its Aug. 17 meeting.

At a special session Tuesday evening, the council agreed to the sale of two cell towers for $1,995,600, a key factor in balancing the budget and keeping the council from seeking a tax increase.

The township will receive the nearly $2 million payment from Crown Castle International, an independent owner and operator of wireless infrastructure, for the right to the leases of two of the four cell towers in West Orange. The company purchased the revenue stream from the township for the carriers on those towers, which include AT&T, Verizon, OmniPoint, Sprint Spectrum and Nextel.

In addition, the council voted to reduce its waste management budget from $362,600 to $312,900 and its worker's compensation contribution from $550,000 to $475,000. Those actions reduced the current budget by a little more than $100,000 — from  $73,358,696 to $73,253,549 for 2010.

Councilman Elnardo Webster Sr. said the zero increase budget shows the township is in much better shape fiscally than other surrounding towns and cities.

"I think tonight was a victory for all of West Orange where having a zero municipal budget where taxes will not increase because of this governmental entity is unbelievable in this day in age," he said. "Many cities are collapsing and the state is collapsing because of the fiscal (times) and we're here where we have a zero municipal budget and don't have to lay anyone off."

Harriett Vaccaro, of West Orange, said she's concerned that the zero budget won't be enough for township taxpayers.

"I'm just trying to understand how they made the zero of the budget with the cell towers or trying to cut here or there," she said. "I just think we have to be concerned about cutting things and looking at every department and see where we can go from there because what we got from the cell towers, we're not going to get every year."

Councilman Victor Cirilo said during the difficult economic times that the state is facing, having a zero budget works in the township's favor.

"This speaks volumes that we're really proactive and look out after the town and to do it without really jeopardizing the services that make up the quality of life in West Orange," he said. "It's a testament of the administration ... as we move forward, we really need to look at how the state laws will impact us locally so we're fully engaged come 2011."

West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi said having a zero municipal budget this year is more critical than ever because of the current financial troubles affecting all of the state.

"It's always government's goal to zero the budget, some years it's not possible, but this year, it was our absolute priority to present to the township residents," he said. "And that's going to be our goal every year."

Council will officially vote on the amended budget at their regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 17, 7 p.m., West Orange Municipal Building, 66 Main St.