It was always my understanding that the whole theory of having a surplus was to protect us and act as a cushion in a tough time. Can you argue that we have never been in tougher times? The double taxation this council gave us, the tax increase they are allowed to and adding the one that the last council didn't give us is not to keep us going, but to increase the surplus (and give the manager a raise of course). You can debate whether that is fiscally responsible, but it is not responsible to the citizens that continue to struggle in this economy.

Can you give an example of this double taxation?

@BellairBerdan I think it's important to make the distinction that the surplus -- while intended to act as a cushion -- is also routinely used to balance the budget so residents can maintain the amenities they've come to expect. Last year almost $5 million of surplus was used. This year $3 million of surplus will be used.

If the surplus is depleted entirely (as it would have been had council again used $5 million of it this year) then there is a $5 million chunk missing in next year's budget with no good way of filling it. It would mean massive cuts and decreases in services, more taxes, possibly even bonding just to pay the bills.

The manager believes, as far as I understand, that completely draining the surplus like that would spell disaster for the town that it would never be able to recover from.

Since the cost to run the town increases each year, it's his opinion that a slight tax increase every year is more palatable to residents than having no increase one year (presumably in an election year) and a massive one the next. That way people know what they can expect from year to year. As long as he's in charge, that's going to be the direction he takes unless council tells him otherwise.

@Zak, before you "presume" election year tactics you should also see where were were historically. Our governor just took away then greatly reduced the Homestead Rebates for seniors and low income people. That effectively already raised their property taxes well over $1000 a year. Could they handle yet another increase on top of that all at once in the worst economy since the Depression?

@Chris, maybe you missed the article about why the taxes were raised so much this year. They raised them to the cap allowable, then, because they weren't raised last year, they raised it that amount on top of the first.

@Zack, actually the expectation on usage of rainy day funds was that they get filled as tax receipts pick up when the economic environment improves. However, you see many public entities that attempt to do the 'refill' early and that may be our situation here- after all I thought we still had several millions of dollars in ours, but perhaps I'm mistaken.

@David Regardless of the original purpose of the surplus, it is no longer just a "rainy day fund." Previous administrations used it by the millions each year to balance the budget and hold down taxes. Like I said above, if the surplus is depleted it'll create a large revenue hole in the budget that needs to be made up somewhere.

Sergey,

A program that was never intended to make money can't lose money. This is where everyone gets it confused. The pool, the Rec Center and the Library are services. Neither were ever intended to generate revenue in the regard of supporting itself.

I think it's interesting that Metzler's estimates of how much things will cost are always so much higher than he brings them in for once the council says to do it. While it's nice to save money, estimating high and delivering low is a common strategy to get good job reviews. I'd like to know what the fudge factor is that he's using.

Christopher, then they should be cut. Anything losing money that is NOT ESSENTIAL should be cut. Thanks for your confirmation sir.

Sergey,

What exactly was I confirming? Neither of these services are going to get cut, nor are they going to appear on the ballot. They might not be considered essential to you, but to a parent that can't afford a vacation, they might be. Otherwise, their kids sit around the house all day being idle. Is that healthy? So do you really want struggling families not to have a service that allows children to stay healthy during the summer? Or would you rather see them run around the streets in the 90+ degree weather and suffer heat related illnesses? Where do you stand on that? Or, what would be your alternative?

Just like back in the USSR, Christopher my comrade, you believe in socialism, but I I l left Russia to get away from socialism, I could give a damn if there was free pool, free library, free wreck center, because it is not free! So your mentality is so what we are losing money, it gives the poor a chance? I would suggest nobody using these services is poor either. прощай, подруга

Sergey,

I did not say anyone was poor. I know many "not poor" families that are foregoing vacations this year due to various financial reasons. And you would have snuck out of the USSR to escape Communism. You would have left Russia to get away from Socialism. Must have been hell over there with you being all Libertarian like. Either way, you are equating a Boro service to a handout or entitlement. Apple and Oranges, comrade. I can't escape welfare and all the government entitlements that are handed out to people and never controlled and are wasted. You can escape Fair Lawn if you want to and move to a town that lacks these services. Ain't America great!!!

The Rec Center is a boro owned facility. It houses the offices of the Rec Department. The new building was built to replace the old one that was there for years. A Rec Center in Fair Lawn is not a new concept. You should direct your anger towards former Mayor's Ganz and Weinstein. They were the driving force behind it. And while you're at it, you should thank Deputy Mayor Cosgrove for making sure it didn't end up costing us 20M.

Send the Wreck center packing, put it for sale, but I doubt anyone will buy it!

I never implied that. Re-read my post.

Chris you sure are saying the government should subsidize staycations.

No, I'm not. That's how you want it to read.

So you have changed your position and are now against the town subsidizing Memorial Pool? Your for fiscal prudence?

The politicians won't let go of their little gimmicks, the little "vote getter's", this is why there is wasted spending! Call it for what it is!

Sergey,

Your ideas on vote gimmicks is wrong. One of the big reasons Ganz was voted out was the Rec Center. So, how is spending a vote getter? Fair Lawn has never had the pool as an election issue. Follow my point?

Tommy,

My position on the pool remains the same and will always remain that way.

Why don't you guys up and move to a place where your 'Libertarian' dreams and John Galt selfishness can take full root- someplace like Somalia will allow you all to e the self-sufficient, rugged individualists you claim to be.... You live in a community where most citizens expect services, services we're aware of- along with current tax rates, when we purchase our homes

My taxes are 10x what they were when I moved here. The waste by the BoE and city hall are destroying our property values while we spend millions to entertain small minorities. Seniors are leaving at an alarming rate, families are finding it more difficult to live here as well. Short sales occur regularly, visit the county sherif's website, any idea how many foreclosures are in Fair Lawn?

There are appropriate things we should be spending on for the community where we fall short, ie the police department, while we hand out crony increases to borough employees and subsidize things like the senior center, pool and the community center.

We raised the taxes to the max allowed, crime is up, cops are quitting, Cook is MIA and the PBA has no confidence in leadership. Multiple borough owned properties have tall grass, and the minibus runs empty most of the time.

Those members of the community who bowl, pay for it, why shouldn't those who swim? Many of us belong to private clubs which we pay for, why shouldn't people pay to use the senior center.

Again, you simply agave no sense of community. Fair Lawn is known for having good schools and schools draw young families- I know, that's why we moved here with our young family. People with your point of view tend to cluster in places like South Carolina- dirt cheap schools, but good luck finding people who can think critically or even read well.

People are drawn to services as well. As a family we've enjoyed the community center in various ways- it's what communities do. And it draws people. Your anecdotal review of the real estate situation is meaningless- since the real estate market imploded it's difficult to see a clear trend, but when I look at recent sales you see families selling to families most frequently, not banks selling to people.

Your negative view of the town is not compelling, but it's too bad that people could stumble upon your poorly conceived statements. I know when we moved here that most communities around us, in Bergen County at least, had higher ta es and many of them had less compelling school districts.

I will say, the more I see of your comments, on almost every topic onPatch, the more I think South Carolina really deserves you.

Tommy p- can you provide any info that seniors are moving at an "alarming rate". do you have any evidence that more seniors move now than they did 10 years ago- or are you just making up stuff like usual..
did your cheapskate brother who uses are facilities for free give you this info through word of mouth?

David, people usually suggest New Hampshire as an alternative to NJ's glut of government.

There are many things about our community which the government is not responsible for. The idea that only government can create a community flies in the face of common sense. People make a community, we have great organizations like the Cosmos, Rotorary, etc. I have great neighbors, as do most of us in town. We have good restaurant's, and we are just a few miles away from 3 malls to name a few.

We have $32+ million of our tax dollars going to schools in Hoboken and 30 other districts, yet our BoE and council are silent. Our reps in Trenton have 0 Abbott districts and are also silent. That 1 change could lower our property taxes by over 20%. That $2,400+ average saving could easily help people afford a much better pool, without a government subsidy.

I have to say, you have a real sense of community suggesting I leave. Not that I am part of the uber rich, but do you really want more people paying taxes elsewhere with the same number of people collecting services here? Is that really good for the community?

As for seniors, in 2010, they were 10.7% of the population, in 2000, it was 12..3%, is a almost 15% decline over a decade alarming? (Source US Census)

Most people purchase real estate using debt (mortgages) and the monthly costs determine what the max they are willing to spend is. Higher taxes means less budget for the mortgage, and in turn the selling price.

New Hampshire does not work for your anti-tax rhetoric as property taxes there are high. You need to live somewhere where low taxes exist in every sense and you get the services you deserve- South Carolina.

And my sense of community most definitely does not come self-selected groups based on religion or ethnicity. I have no issue and no problem with people forming or joining those groups, but that's not community.

Tommy, in my country, it's called a double tax system, taxing a resident family for the pool is a double tax when taxpayers lose 500k a year on Memorial pool!

Araminoff and Pace, now there is a ticket I would donate to.

Love how you repost your comments to edit out the rather obvious....I guess your
ancestors came over on the Mayflower, speaking perfect King's English, since you are disturbed by people who migrate here, into a melting pot of a nation, aren't as perfect as you. Yes, bless America, except for those that bring a legacy of hatred and bigotry to the forefront whenever they open their virtual mouths.

"Deleted, nothing against apartment dwellers, I personally liked the "Jeffersons" TV show. My point is that eventually those high taxed apartments you live in will be passed along to you and price you out, then when the floors and roof rot out the rents will drop much like the projects!"

Want me to post all the versions of your comments that you posted and deleted, lest they reveal you in all your glory? You seem to forget that everything you post, even the ones you delete, get sent to those following the article's comments. My mother came over here and learned English as a second language, as did my great-grandparents on the other side of the family. My great-grandparents were landlords who bought a two-family house, then a small house and rented out the apartments, and eventually owned about two blocks of properties. That's what the American Dream is supposed to be about. Unfortunately, the bigots are always among us, denying everyone not like them a place to start, a place to live, a place to assimilate. Fortunately, most of the people here outnumber them.

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