Politics & Government
Letter to the Editor: The Equalization Formula
Ellen Dickson, Republican candidate for Union County Freeholder, submits a letter to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch.
Letter to the Editor:
The western suburbs of Union County could get a nasty surprise this year in their tax bill. Every year an equalization formula is applied to the tax bill for each municipality to adjust for differences in assessed value. The eastern end of the County, Elizabeth , Linden, Hillside etc. have had a disproportionate increase in foreclosures and short sales, and a larger decline in property values.
Our County taxes are increasing approximately 4.5%. To equalize and raise the needed revenue the western suburbs could be apportioned much more than a 4.5% increase. Many of these municipalities had most of their municipal aid cut and some had ALL of their school aid cut. This will be another punch to the gut that makes us realize the cost of our government is just too expensive.
To quote Peter Lijoi, Republican candidate for County Sherriff, "Growth in the County budget must be eliminated. We must stop funding programs that are not mandated and just fund essential services." Let's elect leaders that are committed to lowering the crushing cost of government.
Thanks for your time. I can be reached at 908-598-1221 or www.ellendickson.com.
Ellen Dickson, Republican candidate for Freeholder
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