I am responding to the Trenton Times editorial of March 16, 2008; "Time to consolidate." As the Mayor of Hopewell Borough (elected, no pay, no benefits, pure volunteer), I agreed with your general encouragement for shared services and the accurate depiction of the Governor' proposed reduction in municipal aid and inducements to promote shared services and consolidation. I found your cursory call for Hopewell Borough to merge with Hopewell Township to be lacking in factual support and blind to real world considerations. As Mayor, I agree with your stated goals: streamlined effective delivery of necessary services; difficult choices during difficult times and, ideally, reduced or hopefully flat property taxes. Your opinion to urge consolidation is ill advised based on history and on the current extensive reliance by the Borough on shared services. Historically, the most recent serious fact driven consolidation effort occurred in Connecticut some time ago. That effort concluded that larger government entities were not necessarily more efficient or cost effective. Connecticut then eliminated all county governments as a tax saving and service efficient reform. That reform remains in place today. As to Hopewell Borough, over 85% of every property tax bill is already allocated to some form of shared services including a regional school, police, fire, health, recreation, animal control, senior services, recycling, joint insurance and sewage. The Borough is a member of two purchasing cooperatives and a member of a valley wide committee empowered to identify additional shared service opportunities. Additionally, the Borough recently approached other municipalities concerning shared services for trash removal. The Governor's proposal is void of incentives for Hopewell Borough, fails to recognize our cutting edge reliance on shared services and, in conjunction with your ill conceived call to consolidate, would effectively undermine the strong sense of community, volunteerism and pride that is Hopewell Borough. Paul Anzano, Mayor
|