Scotch Plains Democrats Slam DePaola for Sticking Residents with Gimmick

The following information was provided by the Scotch Plains Democrats.

On October 1st, the day the latest installment of the Scotch Plains sewer tax is due, Scotch Plains Democratic Chairman Lou Beckerman reminded voters that they have Mary De Paola to thank for creating this new tax.

“In 2009 Mary De Paola and the Republican Controlled Council supported the removal of the Sewer bill from the municipal budget where it has always been, and created a new tax to pass on to Scotch Plains Taxpayers” said Beckerman.  “As residents pay their bills, they should also thank Mary for this new tax.”

“When the sewer tax came before the council, I stated it was nothing more than a gimmick designed to get around the 2% budget cap” said Mayoral candidate Kevin Glover.  “And that is why I voted against it.  I expressed to the citizens that this action was being taken to side step our responsibility to institute prudent and fiscally responsible measures to control costs and save taxpayer dollars.”

“What adds insult to injury is the fact that there is an $800,000 surplus in the sewer fund that Mary refuses to return to the taxpayers where it rightly belongs” added Glover.  “I have fought against the sewer tax and have fought to return the surplus to the residents.  Mary has been wrong on this issue every time.”

“A serious conversation about the sewer fee can't be had without first attacking the underlying issues that led to its existence, the continued inefficiencies of a municipal government that is no longer meeting the needs of the taxpayers that fund it,” said Council candidate Colleen Gialanella.  “While the two hundred plus dollars the average Scotch Plains household contributes to the sewer fee pales in comparison to the property taxes that already burden our residents, it really has become a source of insult to so many. What the current majority fails to understand is that the residents are not ignorant to these nonsensical antics. Because the residents of Scotch Plains are smarter than our current leadership would like them to be, they are more than capable of understanding just what is happening here. The sewer utility is an end run around the cap. Simply put, the sewer fee stinks.”

“Once elected, Kevin and Colleen will fight to eliminate the sewer tax and bring it back inside the municipal budget where it belongs.” declared Beckerman. 

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