County Executive Introduces $732M Budget
County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo says Essex on sound fiscal footing with $31 million surplus
Essex County Essex Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. at a press conference. FILE PHOTO
Antonella Rao
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County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo introduced a $732 million budget Thursday that would cost the average homeower $62 more in 2013, NJ.com reported.
DiVincenzo's budget increases the tax levy by 1.75 percent and marks the fourth consecutive year without layoffs or furloughs, the site wrote.
DiVincenzo also said that Essex has already received insurance reimbursement for its Hurrican Sandy cost.
JohnHopat
8:57 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
Why, every year, does Big Government Joe D brag about not laying County employees off. He works for us, the taxpayers, not the County Employee Unions. His first responsibility is to deliver the most efficient utilization of our money that he can and not excessively worry and panic about having to lay people off. If some lost their jobs because the Essex Co Government is bloated and spends 90% of their time and money in 25% of the County (Eastern Essex), then so be it.
Personally, if they disbanded the County Govt and sent me my tax dollars back, I would be happy to send it to the Caldwell Town Hall, where I know it will be spent more efficiently and more effectively.
What a crock. We pay for Pre School for our own children plus we pay for PK for children in Newark, Orange, EO, Irvington, etc.
Ralph
10:00 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
If Essex County is on such sound fiscal footing, with $31 million surplus, why are taxes still going up an average $62.00 per homeowner??
Ryan
10:22 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
Read the Star-Ledger article linked. The answer is right there. It's to maintain the county's bond rating, he says.
Ralph
5:19 pm on Saturday, January 12, 2013
Ryan,
I read it....I still don't understand how there hasn't been any cuts in the last 4 years and we're talking about a surplus while asking the taxpayers for more money.
I certainly want to maintain the county's good bond rating...but raising taxes and not making cuts is the easy way out. Unfortunately, it's par for the course in Essex County...I'm don't understand how Joe D can tell people that he's raising their taxes...but the good news is we've made no cuts to staff the last 4 years.
WC
10:19 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
Duh, Ralph - so Joe D (as he loves to be called) doesn't have to ever lay someone off. If he did that the unions might be mad at him. In the meanwhile, he will continue to transfer money from West Essex to East Essex via County Taxes. The money in Essex flows from West to East and the total $$$ spent on parks, etc is overweighted...not in our favor. This is one of the last true political machines left in NJ
Tom Measday
11:41 am on Friday, January 11, 2013
Maybe there would be no need for tax increase if Joe D and his cronies would stop double dipping (pension and pay)
Stuart Weissman
1:18 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
Or adding vital services such as the lifesaving McLoone's Boathouse Restaurant and zip lines.
Ralph
5:24 pm on Saturday, January 12, 2013
The complex has been good for West Orange.....It gives people a very positive impression of our town. Hopefully it will bring in enough people that we can revitalize that stretch of Northfield across and East (?) of the zoo.
Speaking of that stretch....anyone have word on the construction that was to be started at Essex House last June??
Adam Kraemer
10:21 pm on Friday, January 11, 2013
We have 14 elected officials in Essex County. All 14 are Progressive Democrats maybe that is the problem. Maybe we need to change the NJ Constitution to end county government. We really don't need both municipal and county government any way one or the other please. Until the voters vote for change we are stuck. I ran for Freeholder once and lost. I might try again as I want small government and less expensive government.
ODLAW
8:28 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Time for West Essex (Fairfield, Roseland, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Caldwell, Essex Fells, Livingston, Cedar Grove, Verona, West Orange, Millburn, Montclair, and Glen Ridge) to break away from Essex County and form its own County: West Essex.