Letter: Resident comments on upcoming election
I returned to Haddonfield recently following a brief absence to find a concerted effort online by a small handful of local residents, whom I will call the ‘Smug and Self Satisfied,’ to preserve the status quo in our town by promoting Ed Borden, Neil Rochford and Lee Albright as our next Borough Commissioners.
It is certainly the ‘Smug and Self-Satisfied’s’ right to try to convince others that everything in Haddonfield is just hunky dory and to believe that there is really no point in focusing on things such as the borough tax because it only one of the three components of our overall property tax bill. Well, for those who may think that there is no room for improvement in the governance of our town, perhaps they should continue supporting the status quo.
However, many of us recognize that there is room for real improvement in the way our town addresses its challenges. I was particularly annoyed when some of the ‘Smug and Self Satisfied’ implied in their online postings that the three other candidates for Borough Commissioner had claimed they would lower taxes. In actual fact, what the insurgent candidates had stated was that they will be wise stewards of our tax monies. Residents can decide for themselves whether the status quo candidates who have served previously, namely, Ed Borden and Neil Rochford, proved themselves to be wise managers of our tax dollars.
I am troubled by the fact that our officials have spent millions of dollars over the years on lawyers, consultants and engineers for a parade of proposals on Bancroft and other projects, which have gone nowhere. Those monies should have been spent more wisely. I am also miffed by the legal fees and potential settlement costs for the failed 24/7 policy (and I remember that others in the state questioned the legality of this policy long before the Borough charged ahead with it).
Then there is the $400,000 or so of taxpayer money to be spent to install turf on a practice field where no games will actually be played. Another wise investment? Neither last year’s nor this year’s budget provided any money for tree replacement. The $400,000 spent on a luxury such as synthetic turf would pay for the replacement of 1,333 trees at $300 per tree or could pay for additional tree removals beyond the 270 planned for next year. Apparently our elected officials have plenty of tax money for fake vegetation but little or nothing for the real McCoy.
How about the projects that should have been done by the status quo Commissioners? What about starting on storm sewers in areas that flood like Maple Avenue? Instead of attention to infrastructure, they install cutesy brick sidewalks. Again, attention is paid to the superficial but not to fundamental maintenance and improvement of infrastructure. I realized long ago that it is unlikely the status quo candidates will change their focus to the priorities that important to residents.
The ‘Smug and Self-Satisfied’ were also upset that candidates John Moscatelli, Jeff Kasko and Ken Kouba won’t take a salary or any benefits as commissioners. They belittled the $5,000 per year. However, if all three were to win, they would save the Borough $15,000 per year at least — enough to buy 50 trees a year. Commissioner Kasko alone has sacrificed nearly $100,000 in salary and benefits during his tenure.
So my conclusion is that if residents believe nothing in our town can be improved, then join the ‘Smug and Self-Satisfied.’ If, like me, you recognize that your property taxes have doubled and services have declined, then you are neither smug nor self-satisfied, and you know we need new leadership in this town and a change in direction.
Susan Hoch
