To the Editor:
Like President Obama, Middletown’s Democrats want you to believe that we can tax and spend our way out of any predicament. Unlike Obama, however, Middletown cannot print money—it comes from your pocket—which is why we cut municipal spending by $4 million this year.
We did this while fully conforming with Governor Christie’s 2 percent property tax cap and maintaining the Township’s AA bond rating in one of the worst economic climates we have ever experienced. We must continue the fight alongside Governor Christie to secure additional reforms to foolish civil service laws and low income housing quotas that will help lower our unsustainable property tax burden in the future.
In Middletown, we have achieved significant savings through extreme fiscal discipline by focusing only on the provision of core government services while finding private sector solutions to providing programming that we all enjoy but can no longer ask for property taxpayers to cover the cost of.
We also made innovative changes in the way that we provide health benefits to Middletown’s highest paid employees who now must contribute 25 percent towards their premiums. Our plan actually exceeds the contributions currently required under Governor Christie’s reforms. This alone, has saved Township property taxpayers $1 million this year and will save millions more as additional employees are added to the plan.
In closing, Middletown has repeatedly been named one of the Top 100 places to live by Money magazine. This is not an accident. Rest assured, as members of the Township Committee, Stephanie Murray and I will continue to do all we can to cut spending, preserve open space, and maintain the quality of life that has made us all proud to be residents of Middletown.
Tony Fiore
Mayor, Middletown Township
