8/8/2019 2010-10-01 Ewing MayorJack Ball Calls Budget Toughest

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Ewing Mayor Jack Ball calls $44.7M budget the toughest

hes ever presented

Friday, October 1, 2010

By JOAN GALLER

Staff Writer

EWING Contrary to complaints by the Democrats who control the township council, incumbent Republican Mayor Jack Ball

says he has delivered his proposed $44.7 million municipal budget for Fiscal 2011 along with the required annual financial

statement that runs 40 pages.

This is the most difficult budget I have been involved with since I became mayor, Ball said, citing the loss of $2.75 million in state

aid and the resulting layoff of 15 township employees, including 6 police officers and the reassignment of 2 school resource

officers to patrol duty.

I know every attempt will be made to politicize my budget, since my opponent (Democratic Councilman and mayoral candidate)

Bert Steinmann (has) filed an objection to the layoff plan with the Civil Service (Commission), the mayor said.

But I feel that I have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Ewing. The public is demanding smaller government, and this isexactly what has been delivered.

Ball said he takes exception to the Democrats who refuse to acknowledge he submitted the budget two weeks ago for Fiscal

2011, which started July 1, 2010 and ends June 30, 2011.

He said he was particularly irked after seeing the Dems website with its countdown for the number of days his budget is

allegedly overdue. As of yesterday, he said, it was 92 and counting.

Balls proposed municipal budget is $44,780,683 compared to $47,280,024 in Fiscal 2010, which ended last June 30 a

difference of $2,499,341, reflecting lost state aid.

The budget requires a .048-cent hike in the municipal tax rate, bringing it up to $1.15 for every $100 of assessed property. So, for

the average Ewing house assessed at $125,000, the municipal tax bill would be $6,227 compared to $6,167 for 2010. And the

average homeowner would pay an extra $60.

That does not include the rest of the tax bill, which provides separate line items for county, schools, library, and open space

needs.

We had to absorb a cut in state aid of $2.75 million and a 10 percent reduction in our workforce, Ball said. When it was all said

and done, we were able to reduce spending by $2.5 million and propose a modest tax increase of .048 cents, which amounts to

approximately $60 to the average homeowner.

Ewing obviously took the hit on state aid, but we were able to realize $1.75 million in tax appeal revenue from FMC Corp.,

ShopRite, and Enterprise Park, which were underassessed, and we used $1.15 million in surplus. We also used $1.1 million of

unexpected funds from a capital lease involving Mercer County and this money will pay off our debt, but it requires the councils

approval, Ball said.

On the expense side we had to lay off 15 people last month and defer five other layoffs for 90 days. We have not filled any open

positions, and the result is that we will have more than 20 fewer employees than last year.

Ball pointed out further savings reflected in the budget. Last year we bid out our electric, installed lower usage lighting, replaced

windows and boilers in the Senior Center to reduce energy use, and we anticipate landfill savings from stepped-up efforts to

recycle that have been put in place.

We have to re-think how we provide services, including police in our schools, Ball said. We only get reimbursed by (Ewings)

schools for one-half of one police officers salary. Now, the one remaining school resource officer will be responsible for covering

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both the high school and the middle school. Other officers will be rotated to continue elementary school programs, such as

DARE.

In the public works department, Ball said we are looking to reallocate personnel to fill the needs of the season and to share

responsibilities. We may have to upgrade to more efficient equipment, and we will be looking at reforesting some of our parks to

minimize grass cutting.

URL: http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2010/10/01/news/doc4ca6a1a110ce9263042009.prt

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