Mayor Newman says something must be done about confusing ZIP codes
PETERSBURG — Township Committee expects to raise taxes again this year after holding its first budget workshop of the year Monday.
Committeeman Curtis Corson reported the budget is up $550,000 over the previous spending plan and would require raising the tax rate 2.8 cents per $100.
That translates to an increase of $28 on each $100,000 or $84 on a home assessed at $300,000.
Last year, Township Committee adopted a $15,426,508 spending plan with a tax levy of $4,764,872, up $655,939 from 2021. It increased the tax rate by 3.3 cents, or 15 percent, to 25.2 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of an average-assessed home of $285,162 realized an increase of $93.50 from municipal taxation. That does not include the school or county portion of a tax bill.
The 2021 budget was $15,480,943 with $4,108,933 to be raised by taxes through a municipal tax rate of 21.9 cents per $100.
If passed as proposed, the tax rate would have increased by 28 percent in the past two years. The budget is expected to be introduced Feb. 27 with a public hearing and vote set for March 27.
“Getting it reduced any more would mean a reduction of goods and services, and that’s not what we want to do,” Committeeman Curtis Corson said.
Public safety concerns over ZIP codes
Mayor Jay Newman, who also serves as chief of the Marmora Volunteer Fire Company, reported on a couple of items regarding public safety.
“We need to do something about ZIP codes in Upper Township. First and foremost, this is a public safety issue,” Newman said.
Whereas most municipalities have a single ZIP code, there are at least three in Upper Township.
“There are people who think they live in Ocean View. There is no Ocean View in Upper Township. There’s an Ocean View post office, an Ocean View ZIP code,” he said, noting the same is true for Woodbine, whose post office serves the Tuckahoe, Petersburg and part of Greenville, crossing municipal lines.
Newman said the township has brought the issue to the attention of the U.S. Postal Service, which replied that ZIP codes never were intended to adhere to municipal boundaries.
“The problem is it has become that way and it is an issue,” Newman said.
Corson said his mother used to live at 133 Corson Tavern Road in Upper Township and that there is another 133 Corson Tavern Road in Dennis Township.
Newman said Routes 49 and 50 have similar problems. He suggested seeking help from U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2, who has intimate knowledge of the situation from his time serving as the Democratic mayor of Dennis Township, as a county freeholder and state senator.
Newman said the issue goes beyond public safety, affecting home values and assessments since a property in Upper Township is worth more than in Dennis Township or Woodbine.
“That’s not really fair to people who are attempting to get mortgages. People are coming in appraising and don’t know what municipality they are in,” Newman said.
Corson said the situation could lead to a property being erroneously placed in a flood zone. It further affects both state and federal aid, he said.
He noted Woodbine and Dennis Township are having the same issues and suggested joining forces to get the situation straightened out.
Another issue is what Newman characterized as the disgraceful state of some Verizon utility lines.
“We’ve had several complaints over the past couple months and the past couple of years have had conversation at the county chiefs level,” he said, noting there are multiple problems at multiple locations.
He said Verizon has been unresponsive to the township’s concerns and suggested appealing to the state Board of Public Utilities for assistance.
“They are a disgrace and ought to be taken care of,” Newman said.
“They’re not just a disgrace, they’re actually a safety hazard,” Corson added.
$3.5 million capital bond
Township Committee is looking to bond nearly $3.5 million for projects and equipment.
A unanimous vote set up a public hearing and final vote on issuing $3,494,500 in bonds for capital projects.
Major expenditures include $1.57 million for infrastructure improvements, $937,500 for recreation, $930,000 for beach replenishment and $57,000 for public safety.
Outlining the planned recreation improvements, Deputy Mayor Kim Hayes said the work will involve existing facilities that need repairs to operate.
“These are projects started by my predecessor that we have finally moved the dial on,” she said.
Work will include the community center, repairs to the basketball and tennis courts at Caldwell Park and Amanda’s Field.
“These are projects that we have been talking about for several years that were in discussion before I came on,” Hayes said. “When I started here my goal was to repair what we have before we move forward. So, there is us getting our house in order.”
Newman said public safety expenditures would include EMS equipment.
“We have some of it already but this will round out each of the ambulance crews to allow them to be equally stocked in case of multiple emergencies that happen at the same time,” he said. “We are trying to get ahead of the curve on it.”
Township Administrator Gary DeMarzo said they are putting together a capital spending plan so that projects can be funded moving forward through revolving debt service. New bonds would be issued as old ones are retired, giving the township borrowing power.
“We are creating a capital plan so that these things happen on a regular basis so we are not chasing our tail five, 10 years down the road,” Newman said.
Corson said the projects are shovel-ready.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
