Council President: Capital Projects Progressing
Work includes animal shelter, court expansion and more
Column as submitted by Toms River Council President Maurice "Mo" Hill:
The Toms River Capital Budget provides long term financing via bonds to fund equipment and construction projects that have a projected life expectancy of between 10-20 years. The cost is spread over the useful life of the equipment. If the total cost of the equipment or project were paid as part of the annual municipal budget the cost would be prohibitive.
Over the past few years the Township has undertaken numerous capital projects such as the indoor ice rink at Winding River Park, sport turf fields with improved lighting for the youth lacrosse and football leagues, renovation of the Richard Clements Law Enforcement Center and municipal court complex, construction of the new Township animal shelter and the lifeguard house in Ortley Beach and most recently the renovation of the municipal parking garage with new lighting, roof and solar panels and the Girls Softball Complex.
In 2004 the Township embarked on an aggressive road repaving and bulkhead repair program. The Engineering Department prioritized the over 600 miles of Township roads and 450 bulkheads that needed attention.
The Capital budget is generally around $15-20M per year just to meet the minimum requirements of the Township to address the repaving of roads, bulkhead repairs, equipment replacement and construction projects. This year’s capital budget included 3 bond ordinances totaling $13.4M. This represents a 25% decrease from the 2011 capital budget and in addition to the items mentioned above include the purchase of back up generators for the Toms River Police Department Operations Center, Public Works and Town Hall to provide power in emergency situations. Every year the Township retires bonds that supported capital projects in the past. This year the Township will retire almost $8M in bonds.
In these difficult economic times the Toms River Council and administration has reduced the initial capital budget and prioritized projects to meet the needs of the Township while maximizing the use of taxpayer dollars and minimizing the impact on the tax rate.
Maurice "Mo" Hill
Toms River Council President
ikidunot
5:40 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
You have to love the bunch that has been running Toms River for the past ten years. Property taxes have doubled on their watch. Debt has doubled on their watch. They are great at doing less with more.
Bob Hockenfrocken
10:12 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
I have lived in Toms River for over 34 years, and my property taxes haven't doubled in the last 10 years. Stop lying.
ikidunot
7:20 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
@Bob, Not sure where you live and I'm happy to hear that you've been spared in the hunt for money by the township Council. But, like so many of us not so lucky as you, my taxes have doubled in the past 10 years. So, like I said, this bunch has a slogan of "Doing less with more".
Captain
3:04 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Seriously Bob? Where in TR do you live that your property taxes haven't doubled? Mine more then doubled in the past 6 years.
Local
5:53 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
In November Tea Partiers will film you while you vote, they call the effort "True The Vote" It's really Voter Intimidation and they are financed by the Billionaire Koch Brothers, the US oil conglomerate who wants to do away with ALL government regulations and eliminate Public schools.
voter
8:55 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
What about the crime problem??? Any thoughts Mo? Or are you going to just bury your head in the sand as usual?
Martin
7:24 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The politicians' answer is to build the Kelaher Court Complex as a multi-million-dollar monument to their perennial pet-project program. Never mind that they've under-funded the police dept. so there aren't enough cops to keep up with the crooks!