Politics & Government

Tempers Flare at Contentious Englishtown Borough Council Meeting

The Borough Council introduced its proposed budget, which includes a two-cent increase, during a meeting full of fighting from the council and the public.

Despite all the arguing and yelling at Englishtown Borough's Council meeting Wednesday, the Borough introduced its 2011 proposed budget which raises municipal taxes two-cents per $100 of assessed property value.

The budget, which will be voted on April 27, was the point of much misinformation and fighting from both the public and council.

Councilwoman Jayne Carr, who champions no tax hike, said she would like the council to look for ways to slash $50,000 from the budget to make that possible.

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"I'm saying we as a council should review the budget," Carr said. "We need to find that small amount of money, find what we can cut. The budget can't be a wish list."

However, money from the two-cent tax hike would allow the town to keep its surplus in case of an emergency, as well as purchase a new police cruiser and a police SUV, something that Councilwoman Cindy Robilotti said was necessary after police cruisers had difficulty getting out on the roads during the blizzard.

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"We haven't purchased a car in three years," Robilotti said. "Our police officers had to drive with people in the plows."

The money would also allow the council to purchase new computer software for the police department, ammunition, as well as give all borough employees a two-percent raise.

The need for new computer software was stressed by Councilman Gregory Wojyn, who said that because of outdated software and servers, Englishtown runs the risk  of "catastrophic hardware failure."

Robilotti agreed.

"God forbid you have to file a report at the police station," Robilotti said. "You're going to spend at least two hours waiting for them just to get into the programs to file for those reports."

Carr said that she wasn't for cutting the budget for computer software, if it was necessary. She said she believes that the council should look at all possible avenues to keep the burden of added taxes off residents.

Resident and owner of Fireplaces of America Irene Borghaus added similar sentiments when addressing the council.

"Spending has to stop," Borghaus said. "We're in a bad situation. We cannot afford to live our lives like we have in the past. Our well is running dry. People don't have funds to support these endeavors."

The tone for the meeting was hostile, with council members talking over each other and raising their voices in frustration. The venomous behavior culminated when resident Barbara "Paula" Kuchinski told certain council members, such as Wojyn, that they were "playing games."

Kuchinski, who was frustrated because she requested to have the proposed budget be put on the town's website, was told no, only to be told at the meeting that it was on the website, lashed out at CFO Laurie Finger.

Finger walked out of the meeting.

The tone of the meeting left Borghaus depressed.

"I see condescension," Borghaus said. "I see people who are supposed to work together. The fighting, the bickering. You fight behind closed doors. I'm sorry I had to see this."


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