Rahway:
It was fitting this meeting was held in the basement of city hall since the irresponsible were an all time low in tricking the tax payers and hurting city employees.
Despite questions by one lone citizen on why 1.9 million dollars in sewer surplus exists, the all democrat council voted to continue using sewer collections to fund day to day operations. City officials even stated this practice of using surplus sewer collections was a way to balance the 44 million dollar budget despite the fact this money is collected from Rahway residents on Water bills that call it a RSVA Facility Charge. Mayor Kennedy stated in a letter just 2 years ago this month that collecting sewer taxes separately would be necessary to plug high sewer costs and “would save tax payers money”.
According to City budget documents that with almost 2 million dollars in surplus collections, homeowners and small business's in Rahway are being overcharged.
So while the Rahway Valley Sewage Authority is being blamed by Mayor Kennedy for breaking the budget, Kennedy collects enough money to pay the RSVA 3.2 million in sewer assessments this year for Rahway, and has 1.9 million left over to fund city operations.
Who is doing the over charging here?
Another item not discussed at all by the Democratic council at this meeting was the 2.6 MILLION DOLLARS in police/ fire/ public employee pension payments the city will not be making this year. Kennedy and his cohorts didn’t pay 1.5 million in pension payments in last year's budget also.
This practice has of plugging budgets by not funding pensions was roundly criticized by both political parties in NJ when Governors Whitman and McGreevey did the same thing.
Didn’t residents of NJ say in the last election when they tossed out Corzine they want our leaders to act responsible? Fund pensions on time? Stop adding debt? Pay as you go?
Business as usual with the Kennedy machine that runs Rahway.
Rahway Republican Chairman Patrick Cassio who researched this information and has spoken out against this practice of sewer and pension schemes said, “This mayor should explain to city employees why he isn't funding their pensions. These hardworking people have already taking furloughs this year, salary freezes, and cuts in health coverage. Why doesn't the mayor cut the salaries of his high paid cronies in management? How many big shots in City hall make over 100k a year? 20 people? "
“Why doesn't the mayor collect the millions owed to the city from his developer friends? Downtown has turned into a "Black hole" where millions of tax dollars have disappeared over this whole decade."
Cassio also said; "I think this Mayor's administration is running this city with smoke and mirrors and treats the taxpayers like they are selling them a used car."
The real question is,
HOW MUCH MORE WILL PEOPLE IN RAHWAY PUT UP WITH??