Mis-Information 9/16/04
The Middle Road
By Rich Kohler
September 16, 2004
Election season is here, and with it comes a hurricane of propaganda.
I wanted to get Mayor Paul Coughlin’s perspective on the direction of the current Hazlet Township Committee, so he graciously and candidly sat down to talk with me. Mayor Coughlin is concerned with some campaign-inspired criticisms regarding his administration of township business.
The open space issue has beleaguered our township for the last several years. Hazlet has swapped, condemned, bought, re-zoned and sold land. Three times, Hazlet voted down the Democrat-sponsored open space tax. The motivation and result of Hazlet’s open space initiatives have stirred heavy controversy.
According to Mayor Coughlin, the truth is that Hazlet has 445 acres of open space in the form of various lots and parks. Some of this land is privately owned. Some, such as Veterans Park, the swim club and other municipal properties, is township owned. This undeveloped acreage equals 14 percent of the total land area of Hazlet. Natco Conservation Area is 259 acres and represents an additional 8 percent of open space.
Mayor Coughlin supported the recent sale of a 7-acre lot on Middle Road, because the revenue significantly reduced this year’s tax increase for every homeowner in Hazlet. The township is now attempting to obtain an 11.5-acre plot of open land within its borders.
The current administration is particularly focused on limiting the commercial over-development of Hazlet’s remaining vacant land without creating an additional tax.
Also of concern to the Mayor, is the campaign-driven sense of urgency regarding the dissolution of the Hazlet Township Sewerage Authority. The Mayor explained, “there is a serious flaw in the proposal brought forth by township Democrats last year. In order to operate in accordance with state law, the newly formed sewerage utility would have had to immediately mandate a $20-$25 increase per quarter/per household.”
State law requires both a utility and an authority to have a cash reserve, but the legal accounting method for each entity is different. As an authority, the sewerage operation is able to use anticipated revenue as this reserve. As a utility, a rate increase would need to fund the required cash reserve.
Mayor Coughlin believes that a responsible plan based on professional study has the strongest potential to reduce operating expenses without jeopardizing Hazlet’s proficiently maintained sewer system.
The township committee is now working with the sewerage authority to build an intra-local agreement in order to best utilize the township’s resources.
The Mayor is pleased with his administration’s determination and ability to apply sensible financial and business management to municipal government.
Mayor Coughlin seemed most uneasy about rumors that he “quit” after his last term. “I have never quit anything. My parents didn’t raise me that way. I’m right here.”
“I served in the minority two of the three years of my last term. It was a frustrating situation. When I was offered the opportunity to run with Committeeman Scott Aagre, I realized that we had a chance to develop and complete projects that had been stalled by a contentiously split committee”.
“Our municipal tax burden had been steadily increasing for years. I’m proud to say this year is the second lowest tax increase in the last ten years,” the Mayor told me.
During the next few years, Mayor Coughlin believes the current township committee has set solid groundwork on which future township committees can further stabilize the tax rate and preserve the quality of life in Hazlet’s community.
I urge Hazlet residents to beware the eye of the campaign rhetoric storm. Before you go to the polls, please make an effort to question your local politicians, not just the candidates.
Rumors and misinformation will continue to circulate as election season intensifies. Sorting through the inevitable debris is the responsibility of every voter.
By Rich Kohler
September 16, 2004
Election season is here, and with it comes a hurricane of propaganda.
I wanted to get Mayor Paul Coughlin’s perspective on the direction of the current Hazlet Township Committee, so he graciously and candidly sat down to talk with me. Mayor Coughlin is concerned with some campaign-inspired criticisms regarding his administration of township business.
The open space issue has beleaguered our township for the last several years. Hazlet has swapped, condemned, bought, re-zoned and sold land. Three times, Hazlet voted down the Democrat-sponsored open space tax. The motivation and result of Hazlet’s open space initiatives have stirred heavy controversy.
According to Mayor Coughlin, the truth is that Hazlet has 445 acres of open space in the form of various lots and parks. Some of this land is privately owned. Some, such as Veterans Park, the swim club and other municipal properties, is township owned. This undeveloped acreage equals 14 percent of the total land area of Hazlet. Natco Conservation Area is 259 acres and represents an additional 8 percent of open space.
Mayor Coughlin supported the recent sale of a 7-acre lot on Middle Road, because the revenue significantly reduced this year’s tax increase for every homeowner in Hazlet. The township is now attempting to obtain an 11.5-acre plot of open land within its borders.
The current administration is particularly focused on limiting the commercial over-development of Hazlet’s remaining vacant land without creating an additional tax.
Also of concern to the Mayor, is the campaign-driven sense of urgency regarding the dissolution of the Hazlet Township Sewerage Authority. The Mayor explained, “there is a serious flaw in the proposal brought forth by township Democrats last year. In order to operate in accordance with state law, the newly formed sewerage utility would have had to immediately mandate a $20-$25 increase per quarter/per household.”
State law requires both a utility and an authority to have a cash reserve, but the legal accounting method for each entity is different. As an authority, the sewerage operation is able to use anticipated revenue as this reserve. As a utility, a rate increase would need to fund the required cash reserve.
Mayor Coughlin believes that a responsible plan based on professional study has the strongest potential to reduce operating expenses without jeopardizing Hazlet’s proficiently maintained sewer system.
The township committee is now working with the sewerage authority to build an intra-local agreement in order to best utilize the township’s resources.
The Mayor is pleased with his administration’s determination and ability to apply sensible financial and business management to municipal government.
Mayor Coughlin seemed most uneasy about rumors that he “quit” after his last term. “I have never quit anything. My parents didn’t raise me that way. I’m right here.”
“I served in the minority two of the three years of my last term. It was a frustrating situation. When I was offered the opportunity to run with Committeeman Scott Aagre, I realized that we had a chance to develop and complete projects that had been stalled by a contentiously split committee”.
“Our municipal tax burden had been steadily increasing for years. I’m proud to say this year is the second lowest tax increase in the last ten years,” the Mayor told me.
During the next few years, Mayor Coughlin believes the current township committee has set solid groundwork on which future township committees can further stabilize the tax rate and preserve the quality of life in Hazlet’s community.
I urge Hazlet residents to beware the eye of the campaign rhetoric storm. Before you go to the polls, please make an effort to question your local politicians, not just the candidates.
Rumors and misinformation will continue to circulate as election season intensifies. Sorting through the inevitable debris is the responsibility of every voter.
posted by Rich Kohler at 6:42 PM
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