Dear Editor:
After attending both Candidates’ Nights and listening to the statements, answers and rebuttals, we remain certain that the only candidates that will truly represent the voices of all taxpayers, without bias, are Michael Nochimson and Alex Roman. They will join Kevin Ryan to review every budget item and make sure every tax dollar will be wisely spent for the benefit of all taxpayers. They will also reclaim policy decisions from the Town Manager to where they are supposed to be, by law, to our elected Township Council.
We would like to note some items that stood out to us at these presentations:
1. In so many words, Mr. Sapienza stated that any cuts made to our township budget would not make a substantial enough difference to the average taxpayer. He described how budget cuts of $1million would only save the average Verona household dollars about $15/per month. Council members are not elected to judge which amount of savings would be worth it to Verona’s households, whether it would be $1/month or $1,000/month. They are elected to do the job of spending every tax dollar wisely.
2. Mr. Sapienza also stated that most municipal costs are fixed and can’t be cut. Yes, salary and benefits are the biggest cost drivers and we do have contractual obligations to the PBA and unionized town employees. However, it’s simply nonsense that fixed costs can’t be reduced. Nochimson, Roman and Ryan want to evaluate staffing levels, overtime, health insurance costs and salaries not covered by a contract. Further, they will put an end to the current management’s “friends and family” hiring format and will make sure all jobs are necessary, as well as advertised to the general public.
3. When the Chamber of Commerce spokesperson asked each candidate to explain why Cedar Grove has a municipal budget that is $10 million dollars less than Verona’s, Mr. Nochimson and Mr. Roman both agreed that Verona over-spends. Mr. Williamson’s opinion was that the towns were of no comparison. He went on to highlight that we have 6 schools, a pool, a community center, many fields, a water treatment plant. etc. He said Verona is different and essentially better than Cedar Grove; that we have many more facilities and that our municipal services are beyond compare. This may be true, but the bottom line is that the current government is overspending on general government operations. Line by budget line, salary by salary, Verona spends too much to operate its basic services. It cannot be explained away through platitudes about how much better we are than any other town.
4. Further in these same presentations, Mr. Williamson then stated that Verona doesn’t have enough facilities and needs more facilities. After a recent $16 million school referendum and a $5 million Hilltop field bond, how many more facilities does Mr. Williamson believe Verona’s taxpayers can shoulder? The current facilities already have operating costs and long-term capital costs. How many more facilities or fields does Mr. Williams think we need? “More facilities” means more construction, maintenance, repairs and staff. “More facilities” means MORE TAXES.
5. Michael Nochimson and Alex Roman do not intend to cut funding to the library or senior services. They do intend to cut wasteful spending. Time and time again, they have reiterated this philosophy. Do not believe the desperate rumors being spread around town that cuts can’t be made without cutting services. It’s not true. Michael Nochimson and Alex Roman want to do “more” for Verona with “less” tax money, ending the ongoing trend of doing the “same” for Verona with “more and more and more” taxes.
Please vote for Michael Nochimson and Alex Roman to join Kevin Ryan on May 12th.
The Vote by Mail deadline is May 5th: Vote by mail application
For more information visit: nochimsonnow.com | alexroman.net
Mary and Larry Bovich
Verona
