It’s September and Medford is still without a 2011 budget.
The vote on the budget will most likely take place at the township council’s Sept. 19 meeting.
The vote was tabled at the last council meeting because the township is waiting to have final approval of the sale of cell tower leases for $1.8 million later this month.
Township Manager Christopher Schultz has pared down the 2011 budget from $22,864,206.62 to $21,870,040.35, a difference of $994,166.27.
“The budget was very challenging and will remain so for the next two budget cycles, but it is difficult to second guess the former manager’s thought process in his preparation of it,” Schultz said. “What I inherited is a budget that this year was going above the 2 percent tax cap levy which was rejected by the voters which occurred in late April, four months into the year.
“This then required either revenues or cuts, or a combination of both, of approximately $2.4 million with eight months left in the budget year which was a daunting task,” he added.
Schultz said the average property owner will pay $47.97 in additional local purpose (municipal) tax.
In 2011, there have been nine public works employees (four before the referendum) and nine police officers (two before the referendum) who have been laid off.
“It is one of the most difficult things to deal with and it is unfortunate that it has come to that, but given the changes in laws impacting the budget, the recession, labor costs, etc. it was unavoidable at this time,” Schultz said.
“The layoff of any police officer concerns me,” Medford Police Chief Richard Meder said. “This year alone we have lost 11 officers; nine to layoffs and two to attrition.
“In total, we have dropped from 49 officers in 2009 to our current staffing level of 33 officers,” he added. “That is a significant decrease.”
As it has only been one week, to what degree the loss will affect the police department remains to be seen.
Medford Township Council Member Bob Martin said Schultz has done a “marvelous” job.
“We have some really tough choices,” Martin said. “We’re going to do the best we possibly can.”
“I have a very, very difficult time with layoffs with economic conditions the way they are,” he said. “I think our people do a phenomenal job.”
Martin said the township will be facing the same dilemmas next year.
“We have to find other ways of doing this without laying off more and more people,” he said.
Resident Chris Buoni said more cutting is needed.
“We’ve dug ourselves into a gigantic financial hole,” he said. “At some point we have to start recognizing the reality that we need to get our costs down even further.
“We haven’t addressed the systemic problems” that exist as far as the township’s finances go.
Resident Randy Pace said the township has had financial difficulties for years.
“With the knowledge that we had we could have been taking corrective measures prior to now,” he said. “We have allowed it to go so far that it’s beyond what we can control.”
“Medford has habitually spent more than it takes in with the idea that one day we’ll get something,” Pace added. “Government cannot be run on the backs of taxpaying citizens.”
And what about next year’s budget?
“I am currently projecting a budget that could be worse than this year,” Schultz said. “Based on some current information and assumptions, the loss of one time revenues could impact the budget up to $5 million.
“We will need to and are already looking at options to drive expenses down yet maintain services to the community,” he added.
The township has already stopped curbside bulk trash and Saturday drop off.
