Your Turn
Frank Coury
Guest Column
Residents pay county’s bill

Whenever I hear a local elected official say, "Don’t worry about the cost because the county is paying it," I wonder if the person making that statement believes it or if he or she is attempting to fool the listener.

We all know that any money the county spends is coming out of taxpayers’ pockets. The taxpayers in East Brunswick have 15 percent of their property tax sent to the county. In 1968 the county took only 6 percent out of the property tax. Just think about it for a moment. In 1968, the county took 6 percent out of a $600 property tax, amounting to only $36. Now, the county is taking 15 percent out of the same house, $5,200 in property tax, amounting to $780. That increase in dollars is more than 2,000 percent. I, for one, believe this is an indication of uncontrollable spending supported by indifferent local elected officials.

The county government is not as diligent as it should be when it comes to spending money on projects and in their manner of conducting business. For example, can you believe the county sets budgets without even taking inventory? At one time, the county set its budget by reviewing what it had purchased the previous year and added 5 percent. No consideration was given to how much was actually used.

Just recently, the county approved selling $80 million in bonds to obtain additional money for open space. Why issue bonds? Bond sales require the assistance of attorneys to prepare the paperwork for the bond sale. At what expense? The sale of the bonds will have to be handled by some institutions that will be entitled to some arranged commission. The bonds themselves will offer some interest to the buyers. Of course the bonds will eventually be redeemed at the expense of the taxpayers. Why issue bonds when money could have been obtained through direct taxes, ultimately saving the cost of attorneys, commission to sellers and interest on the bonds? I venture to say the savings could be approximately $5 million.

The county, several months ago, granted $3 million in open space money to improve the State Theatre in New Brunswick. That money came from property tax money. Property tax money came from property owners and indirectly from tenants who approved the use of that money for open space. How many residents who have a difficult time making ends meet and do not have the opportunity to attend the theater had their hard-earned tax money used to further the activities at the State Theatre? I should think the theater should be self-supporting by the sales of tickets.

The county continues to dispose of garbage and wastewater by a method that should be changed to a more efficient and less costly method. The suggested method is co-composting and is done in several states. The proposed method, as compared to the present production of Meadow Life, may save the county approximately $25 million a year. County officials have not given honest consideration to the method, despite the fact that it has been suggested over the past several years.

I wonder if the taxpayers of Carteret, New Brunswick, Woodbridge, Metuchen, South River, etc., are happy to know that their tax dollars have been used to buy open spaces in East Brunswick. As a resident of East Brunswick, I, for one, thank you all.

So, taxpayers in Middlesex County, be wary when you hear your local officials make such a stupid statement as, "We’re not paying because the county is paying." If municipalities take on unnecessary projects and expenses thinking the county will pay the majority or all of the bill, be on the alert — the bill will eventually be paid out of increased taxes.

Frank Coury is a resident of East Brunswick.