Some People Think I Am Crazy

When I tell people in any other state across the country that in NJ we have hundreds of K-8 school districts sending to regional high schools, they think I am crazy. 

When I speak with people in NJ about creating K-12 unified school districts for consistent curriculum and fiscal efficiency, they think I am crazy. 

When I speak with Mayors around the state, they say 'Shared Services' save money but consolidation does not. 

I say sharing a court saves thousands; consolidating the administration and police saves millions. 

Pick out the crazy one here. 

Residents say, 'I do not want to lose my town identity so I am opposed to consolidation. 

I ask, how many towns in NJ have a strong identity that is not the name of their government?

Let us ask the residents of Basking Ridge, Allendale, Oakhurst, Martinsville,

Ortley Beach, Short Hills, Ewing, Ocean Grove, Menlo Park, Waretown, Sandy Hook, Colonia etc... (There are about 920 more but I will not bore you.)

All of these distinct, identifiable towns have a different name than their government. They can be found on GPS and highway signs.  They have their own zip codes and mailing addresses, fire departments, train stations, beaches, separate business districts and schools with their names, parades and town flags. 

So now who is crazy?  Not me. 

Are You One Of Those People? I Am.

After 'Home Rule' we need to look at the next two words that stop NJ from moving forward and challenging the status quo. 

'Those People', just like 'Not in my Backyard' or better known as NIMBY, divides all of us in NJ from ever trying to work together to solve our financial, pension, infrastructure, transportation and property tax issues. 

Aren't we all 'Those People' to someone else?  Which of the following descriptions of me will label me one of 'Those People' to you?

I am 56, white, female, homosexual, high school educated, not a member of any organized religion, former democratic Mayor, now an independent, middle to upper class, teacher, activist. 

What descriptions separate you?

A few years ago, I gave a presentation about municipal consolidation in Summit, NJ. During the Q&A a man in a suit stood up and declared this idea to be dead in the water because he did not want to be with 'Those People' in Springfield or New Providence. By the way these are fairly affluent towns and New Providence schools are rated top in NJ. 

It is somewhat disturbing when people actually say 'Those People' in public.  I much prefer when they just imply it. 

So I did a little research and found out two interesting facts about Summit NJ. 

Summit has the most households that make over $200,000 per year in NJ.  Summit, also, has 25% of its residents that make under $35,000 per household per year. 

He is already with 'Those People'. 

I recommend he read ' The Sneetches' by Dr. Seuss. 

If we cannot mature beyond this mentality of highlighting our differences, then I agree municipal consolidation will never happen again in NJ. 

What drives me is I see the similarities of the issues we are facing.  I see the connections we all have that encourage us to start working together.   Let's get moving.

Scary Alternatives for Struggling Towns

Last week Governor Christie signed into law "The Water Infrasture Protection Act" which allows the sale of municipal water and municipal sewage treatment plants to private entities. 

Three things you need to know about this law. 

Our small inefficient towns are struggling to stay afloat. This law allows towns to sell our assets to a corporation and its shareholders that 'We the taxpayers' have built and maintained for years. 

Okay... Will the private companies put service over profit?

The law also takes away the provision that 'We the taxpayers' will be able to vote on the sale. If you do not like the idea you will have to petition (very quickly) to let the people decide. 

Okay... So where is the local control?

The third thing you need to know is now the Board of Public Utilities no longer has ANY oversight on how much of the purchase price and transaction costs will be passed on to 'You the taxpayer'.

Okay...Local government win, private business wins, and 'We the taxpayers' lose. 

Selling our municipal assets and privatization will soon threaten your town.  It is already happening in mine. 

Consolidation vs. Privatization 

You choose. 

What is So Scary about Municipal Consolidation?

Maybe we have hardened ourselves to the fact that nothing will change in NJ. We are known for our high property taxes, defined by our highway exits and corruption that gives us the name 'Soprano State'

Our high property taxes are a result of having hundreds of small, inefficient local governments and everyone has to pay for them. We are a 'Home Rule' state, so we have Mayors who will fight tooth and nail for their fiefdoms. We have residents who continually say their town is run much better than the next town over....until they move. 

But the number 1 reason NJ has made little progress on reducing the number of towns through municipal consolidation is fear of change and fear of loss of local control. 

But fear also makes us unable to move or think differently. We become paralysed.  So we are like deer in headlights. And we have enough deer in NJ. 

Maybe we enjoy complaining and paying exhorbinant property taxes because we're 'Jersey'.

ARE SHARED SERVICES AND MUNICIPAL CONSOLIDATION THE SAME?

Many elected officials, lobbyists, taxpayers and the media have trouble answering this question. So let's see if there is a difference.

Sharing an employee or service:

Shared Service- If a town is too small for a full time Health Officer or Recreational Director then 2 or more towns can share an employee or share the service. 

Requirements:  A negotiated contract for which town pays the employee, salary, benefits, and what percentage would each town pay, etc.

Consolidation - One employee, no legal review.

Sharing equipment:

Shared Service- Towns that are too small to purchase a street sweeper, sewer truck, etc. can purchase equipment together to save taxpayer dollars.

Requirements:  A negotiated contract on which town pays insurance, stores the equipment and who is responsible for scheduling the use of the equipment. etc. 

Consolidation - The town is large enough to need and purchase the equipment

Share purchasing of supplies:

Shared Service - It is much cheaper if towns buy larger amounts of salt or gasoline. So they make contracts together for purchasing materials at a lower price.  

Consolidation - Even greater savings possible when they share even larger amounts, with no legal expenses.

Sharing Police:

Shared Service - Two or more towns would form a shared Police dept. The law that allows this is called the 'Joint Meeting'. However this forces towns to create another governing body to oversee the shared police dept.  The police then report to their own governing body and to the 'Joint Meeting'.  (This law has many flaws and really needs to be fixed. )

Not one Joint Meeting Police shared service has been formed yet.

Consolidation - One unified Police force that can use this opportunity to innovate and create a brand new Police dept. to better serve and meet the needs of their community.

Mayors and Governing Bodies:

Shared Services - 565 Mayors, 3,000 Council/Committee members and 1,000's of negotiated contracts with ongoing legal review and associated costs. 

Consolidation - Fewer than 250 Mayors, fewer than 1,500 Council/Committee members and fewer negotiated contracts.  One time consolidation implementation costs which can be spread over 5 years and the State will cover 20% or the first year cost. 

More on this topic on my next blog!

Death by Home Rule?

"Home Rule" -- These are two words that have held NJ back for decades.  Ask a Mayor why they can’t share major services; "Home Rule".  Ask anyone in the state why municipal consolidation will not happen and the response is "Home Rule".  Why are these two words so effective in stopping change?   

Home Rule is created by 565 arbitrary boundary lines that create an Us vs. Them mentality.  These town lines were created for reasons that we can’t remember and are not relevant today.  Do we want to pay the price for the arbitrary borders that were made over 100 years ago?

Home Rule has forced us into tiny, inefficient towns.  Towns around the state are facing massive sewage, road, water, transportation and infrastructure issues.  Dwindling surpluses leave towns in a precarious condition.  With the 2% cap, numerous state mandates and stagnant state funding, our local governments have little real control.

Home Rule forces us to address these issues piecemeal.  The problems facing NJ and municipalities cannot be addressed by 565 mostly weak and small governments competing against each other for diminishing resources. 

Home Rule – Two words that continue the escalation of property taxes, weaken our ability to address our aging infrastructure and stifle innovation.  These two words prevent finding any regional approaches to our problems.  These two words complicate economic development and make it hard for businesses to do business in New Jersey.

What other two words could open the door to possibilities?  "Better Together" (It’s a great book by the way.)  Together we can create larger, stronger local governments.  We can use the savings from consolidation and regionalization to pay for infrastructure improvements, make transportation issues easier and reduce the number of people in our stressed pension system.

If we come together, we will have options available.  We can use innovation to solve problems and create a sustainable future.

Home Rule or Better Together?  Which two words do you choose?