Still not looking to reduce taxes? A 33% cut could be realized if Trenton addressed our school funding issues. Not sure why the Mayor and Council won't simply send a message like many other communities have so far.
While it is a dated article, it is currently totally relevant, and here is how it could be done:
http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/fort-lee-republican-state-assembly-candidate-pushes-for-fair-school-funding
I can also think of many other ways; to start, look at our autonomous parking authority. Why does it operate apart from the Mayor's and Council's control and under their own budget? Our businesses are directly affected by that, notwithstanding our quality of life in what many outsiders call Fort Lee: Ticket Town.
Perhaps taxes could be cut if we had a balanced govt in town? Perhaps ideas could be generated and shared if we did not have a one party rule of friends amongst themselves in town? I have offered to meet for tea, attend Democratic events, and even simply stand by the side of our elected officials with no response. The Fort Lee Republican Club is the balance. We desire to be a part of the operating government, with elected officials or even on appointed boards, yet never once in the 5 years I have been a member of the club has this Mayor nor Council ever accepted invitations to meet nor asked us for input on bi-partisan appointments.
I look forward to this budget and the creative means found to cut taxes.
Keith Jensen
President
www.fortleegop.org

The real issue is why the Mayor and Council was surprised. What this tells me is that the financial oversight is lacking on Peggy Thomas's part. She should have a handle on all invome and expense items , and be reviewing the monthly p&l's and comparing them to the budget for all departments. Same for the Treasurer . Had they both been doing their the Mayor and Council wouod
not have been surprised .
The Parking Authority should be consolidated into the Police Department. But they allow Kay Nest to keep it so she can hand out jobs.

Keith: While you are correct on Abbott, you cannot blame our Borough Council for Trenton’s school funding formula. And every community is suffering financially from the ramifications of Hurricane Sandy.

Regarding, the parking authority, it is time for Kay Nest to retire and let the community move forward. Her time has passed; this was never meant to be a lifetime appointment. I would prefer not to be accused of ageism, because even when she was younger, she ruled the Parking Authority and the Fort Lee Democratic Party with an iron fist. I would like to see the Democratic monopoly on the Fort Lee Borough Council do the right thing and ask her to move aside.

Maybe it is time for a 5% cut across all Departments in Ft. Lee. In this economy local taxpayers can not take anymore tax increases. Its working in DC!! You could also look into outsourcing public works,clerical jobs etc. to the private sector. Huge savings could be found. I would appreciate if the Mayor would have all public employees compensation with benefits posted on the Patch by Department. Leave off names if you wish. Let the people deciede if outsourcing makes sense. If you do not want to publish this, hopefully the Republican Club will.....

I don't think people should complain, you keep re-electing these guys to keep raising your taxes. This current Mayor and Council will NEVER cut anyone's salaries. They depend on these people to keep electing them. If they cut salaries maybe the won't get re-elected. Doing the right thing is very difficult.

@Keith Jensen

I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but are you serious when you ask why the Mayor hasn’t appointed you or anyone who doesn’t share his opinions on any committee? If you are, then this is why your party (the Republican party) has been a non-factor for 15 years in Fort Lee. What incentive is there for him to reach out to any of you when you pose no threat? Of course he has all of his friends on them, we already know that.

I enjoy reading your posts and you are an articulate person, but you’re asking the Democratic party to do the work for you. Get candidates on the ballot on Election Day that folks have actually heard of and can actually come across well in the Homeowners debates. Why haven’t these Republican candidates been coming to live televised council meetings on a regular basis to bring up the points that you do here so that they get known to the public? Where are the mailings? Where are campaign signs on the streets each year that are dominated by the Democrats?…you guys actually proposed to the other party to have no signs, etc, last year! That’s mindboggling.

i am so sorry that i chose this town to move to in 2006. There really is no town. No place to eat or walk to to really shop. It's looks are so unappealing. I have only myself to blame. The fact that the Barymores(sp) were in 100 years ago just doesn't cut it. Only bright spot with creativity is Frames of Mine.

Rona,
Thank you,
I checked "http://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers"; and i am not feeling well. The reason to outsource is right here, suggest all viewers go to this web sight and you have found the problem...How many of these people are related ?

I frequently see the term "outsource" used here. I am who I am and don't want to sound too krass because I ran for Council and lost. One of our platform boards was a moratorium on spending. We would have embraced outsourcing like a loved one. This Mayor and Council will not be outsourcing anything. When are you folks going to understand that these career politicians will NEVER relinquish control. So, they will never outsource anything they cannot control. They are making this lawyer very wealthy because they refuse to outsource the legal. This guy they can control, do you get that? This my friends, is only the tip of the iceberg.

Wow, $114K to $195K salary range for borough employees is an eye opener. Thanks Rona, for the link NJ.com/news/bythenumbers.
Also, why is the borough holding on to the unused pistol range east of The Plaza co-op? Our police commute to Mahwah to practice. Seems like the sale of that property could go a long way to reducing thus tax increase.

Is that why they just hired 2 people for the court at a $27,000. a year. Could you live on that?

Keith if you run with Martha, coupled with the fact that Governor Christie will be at the top your ticket, you have an excellent chance of winning.

8.15% Property Tax Increase for Fort Lee. Disguised by the Mayor, Council and Board of Education as separate tax increases: Municipal increase of 3.5% (which I find it odd that this article did not report as a %increase) and Board of Education's raise of 4.65%. Adding these together = 8.15% increase in taxes.

Hidden by everyone, even reporters don't lump these taxes together as that is how they are collected.

For those readers new to how property taxes are added up, it includes both the school budget and the municipal budget. If you rent and don't feel you need to worry about property taxes increasing, think again as landlords will pass it on in the form of rent increases.

While I have given the silver bullet many times to the Mayor and Council on how to voice a desire to fix the conundrum we are in, it falls on deaf ears. Now, the new Board of Education needs to re-ratify the last boards unanimous approval of this statement.

My request is still completely relevant:
http://fortlee.patch.com/articles/fort-lee-republican-state-assembly-candidate-pushes-for-fair-school-funding
Debt restructuring is what our elected officials are most proud of for their new budgets. What that means, is they took advantage of the low interest rates and refinanced our debt, oh by the way they also added to this debt. Hardly a reason to say bravo considering there were no cuts made; in fact, payroll costs have only risen.

Fort Lee will have an 8.15% property tax increase.

Keith, It does not matter if you are right about the School issue. They do not want to hear about it because they did not come up with it first. they will not be giving anyone outside the party any credit for anything. I call it the Nero complex. They will let the taxes go sky high before they listen to you. You are a Republican, not a Democrat pretending to be a Republican, but, a Republican.
In the future, these lawsuits against the borough police will be settled and whatever the judgement, the cost will be deferred to the taxpayer as another unforseeable expense.
Fort Lee's career politicians will not outsource anything that they cannot control, so they will never save the taxpayers any money by doing that. They have spent millions in taxpayers dollars buying property and handing over free to the developers in anticipation of who knows what future taxes.
They are playing the lottery with taxpayers money that could have lowered our taxes.