NORTH ARLINGTON – As we enter the summer months before a more specific discussion of the issues come the fall, it's a good time to look back on the accomplishments we've had as a community in the worst of economic times.
After years of controversy and litigation, EnCap is finally behind North Arlington.
The construction of Arlington Valley will not happen and homeowners have beaten down the challenge to urbanize this community into an extension of Hudson County.
It is a battle that has retained our small town character.
More specifically, the Porete Avenue business community was saved and the application of eminent domain averted. Most importantly, the construction of low income housing has been stopped and North Arlington now controls its own economic destiny.
This battle was fought and won on a bipartisan basis with our Republican colleagues joining the Massa Administration in simply doing what was right.
We continue to work hard with state officials to secure funding in lieu of diminishing host fees from solid waste operations.
Earlier this year, this council secured $800,000 in state funding to make-up for the temporary closing of the baler facility we're working hard to re-open. This is a priority for North Arlington and we've worked closely with Commissioner Joseph Doria of the Department of Community Affairs as well as Senator Paul Sarlo to make this a reality.
Planning for a better North Arlington continues to move forward.
Our discussions with the state's Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve Ridge Road as well as our Visioning Committee as to what to do with our Meadowlands parcels is the kind of transparent and responsible long range planning needed to keep North Arlington economic competitive in terms of jobs, commerce and quality-of-life issues necessary to keep this community small, safe and suburban.
As finance chairman, we had to make tough choices in terms of spending to keep property taxes stabilized.
When voters defeated the school budget on April 21st, this council once again was joined by my Republican colleagues to cut spending some $360,000 to produce a "zero" tax increase on the school side of the property tax ledger. Note that 70% of a homeowner's tax bill is derived from school spending. The Massa Administration has once again sided with homeowners to reduce spending without cutting vital school services.
That's the kind of leadership voters expect in rough economic waters!
As of this writing, we applied for $600,000 in Extraordinary Aid to assist us in fixing these inherited budget woes. My goal is to reduce spending as best we can so that we can provide the greatest service value at the lowest possible cost.
While these challenges have been monumental, North Arlington is better off today than it was yesterday. While battling problems both big & small, we continue to make the necessary investment in infrastructure to maintain our property values and the kind of community we all have come to love and enjoy.
We refurbished Allan Park in 2008 and the Little League Field in 2009. We just completed the renovation of Vincent Macaluso Memorial Park. We're in the process of renovating the Fischer Field playground and are in the final stages of modernizing and rehabilitating the North Arlington Library. While other communities are cutting municipal investment, we're maintaining our commitment to parks, playgrounds and the library through responsible management and disciplined leadership on a bipartisan basis!
Not only did we continue this commitment to infrastructure improvement, but the borough is now in the process of developing the proper specifications to purchase a new senior bus on top of the new rescue fire truck purchased and ambulance purchased earlier this year for our dedicated volunteer firefighters and EMT’s.
Strategic planning and the ability to identify our needs is what governing at the local level is all about.
Aside from our continued commitment to street resurfacing and Streetscape, all of this work is being done with no increase in taxes in 2008 and a commitment to stabilize the rate again in 2009!
After years of controversy and litigation, EnCap is finally behind North Arlington.
The construction of Arlington Valley will not happen and homeowners have beaten down the challenge to urbanize this community into an extension of Hudson County.
It is a battle that has retained our small town character.
More specifically, the Porete Avenue business community was saved and the application of eminent domain averted. Most importantly, the construction of low income housing has been stopped and North Arlington now controls its own economic destiny.
This battle was fought and won on a bipartisan basis with our Republican colleagues joining the Massa Administration in simply doing what was right.
We continue to work hard with state officials to secure funding in lieu of diminishing host fees from solid waste operations.
Earlier this year, this council secured $800,000 in state funding to make-up for the temporary closing of the baler facility we're working hard to re-open. This is a priority for North Arlington and we've worked closely with Commissioner Joseph Doria of the Department of Community Affairs as well as Senator Paul Sarlo to make this a reality.
Planning for a better North Arlington continues to move forward.
Our discussions with the state's Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve Ridge Road as well as our Visioning Committee as to what to do with our Meadowlands parcels is the kind of transparent and responsible long range planning needed to keep North Arlington economic competitive in terms of jobs, commerce and quality-of-life issues necessary to keep this community small, safe and suburban.
As finance chairman, we had to make tough choices in terms of spending to keep property taxes stabilized.
When voters defeated the school budget on April 21st, this council once again was joined by my Republican colleagues to cut spending some $360,000 to produce a "zero" tax increase on the school side of the property tax ledger. Note that 70% of a homeowner's tax bill is derived from school spending. The Massa Administration has once again sided with homeowners to reduce spending without cutting vital school services.
That's the kind of leadership voters expect in rough economic waters!
As of this writing, we applied for $600,000 in Extraordinary Aid to assist us in fixing these inherited budget woes. My goal is to reduce spending as best we can so that we can provide the greatest service value at the lowest possible cost.
While these challenges have been monumental, North Arlington is better off today than it was yesterday. While battling problems both big & small, we continue to make the necessary investment in infrastructure to maintain our property values and the kind of community we all have come to love and enjoy.
We refurbished Allan Park in 2008 and the Little League Field in 2009. We just completed the renovation of Vincent Macaluso Memorial Park. We're in the process of renovating the Fischer Field playground and are in the final stages of modernizing and rehabilitating the North Arlington Library. While other communities are cutting municipal investment, we're maintaining our commitment to parks, playgrounds and the library through responsible management and disciplined leadership on a bipartisan basis!
Not only did we continue this commitment to infrastructure improvement, but the borough is now in the process of developing the proper specifications to purchase a new senior bus on top of the new rescue fire truck purchased and ambulance purchased earlier this year for our dedicated volunteer firefighters and EMT’s.
Strategic planning and the ability to identify our needs is what governing at the local level is all about.
Aside from our continued commitment to street resurfacing and Streetscape, all of this work is being done with no increase in taxes in 2008 and a commitment to stabilize the rate again in 2009!
