Officials do battle over budget philosophy in E.B.
BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - It's not just small towns being hit by the latest wave of state aid cuts.

Township residents could see another 3 cents added to the proposed 11-cent increase in the municipal tax rate this year. The 11-cent increase included in Mayor William Neary's budget proposal would have the owner of property assessed at $150,000 paying $165 more this year for the municipal portion for the property tax bill, which also includes school, county, fire district and open space taxes.

The news that state aid may be cut and taxes may have to be increased further was announced as township officials kicked off a budget workshop before Monday night's regular Township Council meeting. Business Administrator James White said he learned that state aid to the town may be cut back, though he said local officials expect to have "continuous dialogue" with state officials in hopes of having the cuts rescinded.

The possible aid cutback set the tone for the workshop, during which several department heads faced questions from council members about the proposed budgets. The workshop also spotlighted the growing chasm between Councilman David Stahl and MayorWilliam Neary, as Stahl complained about a number of items contained in Neary's proposed budget for 2008.

Stahl recently announced that he will challenge Neary for the Democratic Party's mayoral nomination in the June 3 primary election.

Councilman Donald Klemp, who is seeking reelection with Neary, asked Stahl during the meeting why he has recently changed his budget philosophy. Stahl said he is more cautious now because he believes the budget has been mismanaged for years. He said this is far from the first time he has publicly criticized Neary's budget actions.

Stahl objected to the idea that money in line items approved by the council can be transferred by department heads to pay for other purchases and costs. He said this undercuts council's authority in deciding what to include in the budget.

"If a line item says it is to be spent on [line items] 1-10, you spend it there," he said. "If you want to come back and spend it on something else, then come back here."

Councilwoman Nancy Pinkin said every corporation allows for such flexibility in its budgets, and Neary said the council has always given his administration and departments the freedom to transfer funds.

White said department heads do come to him regarding changes they want to make. For example, if they do not need to spend a certain amount of dollars from an item listed in the budget, they will ask to use the money for something else.

Stahl said it is up to the council to make such decisions, and that this is why the council works on the budget in the first place.

"Isn't that the right of council to say 'Here is your allowance. You can spend it as delineated,'" Stahl asked. If that is not the case, he said sarcastically, he may as well stop examining the budget and tell the department heads to spend the $64 million budget as they wish.

White said East Brunswick's budget contains more details and breakdowns of costs than some other towns' budgets that he has seen. He asked at what point the changes simply amount to minutiae.

Klemp said he trusts the township's department heads to act responsibly and within the guidelines of spending, and said they do need some flexibility.

Neary said he does not believe that officials need to micro-manage the budget.

The council has scheduled another budget workshop for 7 p.m. March 31 in the municipal courtroom at Town Hall.