Tax rate rises slightly
By ROBERT LINNEHAN
Cherry Hill Sun
2/8/2008

Council approves $56.1 million budget, a $2 million increase over last year’s budget

Members of council unanimously approved the township’s $56.1 million budget Jan. 28. The budget features an increase of 1.4 cents over last year’s tax rate, which accounts to a $19 annual increase for the average Cherry Hill home assessed at $144,000.

The 2008 budget increased by about $2 million from last year’s budget.

Mayor Bernie Platt reported that the budget is fiscally responsible, but also focuses on maintaining the safety of Cherry Hill’s residents. The budget includes the hiring of 13 additional police officers for the township.

“Going forward, Council and I will continue to work hard to stretch every penny of taxpayer money, while maintaining our special quality of life,” Platt said. “This budget assures us that Cherry Hill will continue to be a place where community, culture and commerce thrives.”

Platt had some harsh words for the state, which he said has made it increasingly difficult in the past several years to maintain a level tax rate for Cherry Hill residents. For 2008, Platt said, Trenton mandated another $1 million from the township for pension costs and once again cut state aid.

The township paid $2.6 million in 2007 to the state for the pension system, he reported.

“Nevertheless, Trenton has mandated another $1 million from the township for pension coffers and significantly cut our state aid,” he said. “I am disappointed by these state policies and believe the additional pension mandate and cuts in state aid are hardships for our community.”

Council members praised the budget and claimed it was fiscally responsible, but several members said the cost of services in the township should be monitored to ensure spending doesn’t get out of hand.

Council Vice President John Amato agreed that the budget was a tight one, but assured residents that services would not be reduced.

Council introduced the 2008 budget on Jan. 14, with several amended changes. Because the budget had been amended, it was sent to the state for examination before the Council could adopt the final form of the budget.

In other township news:

- Platt levied a statement against the Cherry Hill School District for denying the township access to its broadcast Channel 19.

The township first approached the school district in the fall about broadcasting its Council meetings on the local channel, but discussions were postponed until after the November election because the district said it did not want to broadcast political content on the channel. In December, the board first met to discuss broadcasting the meetings.

Platt said the following in regards to the situation:

“For the last three months, we have been denied access to broadcast Channel 19. I believe this is bad public policy and urge the school district to change its stance in order to allow members of the public to see their government in action.

“I cannot figure out how the school district is able to tape and broadcast the superintendent giving a budget address while not allowing Cherry Hill’s governing body to broadcast its bimonthly meetings.

“As members of the school district know, the only thing they need to do in order to film a meeting is position a camera and push play. Communities around us have been doing this for years, and it is time for the school district to open up its process. They need stop hiding from the public on the issue of Channel 19, and the excuses need to stop now.

“This is a basic service the school district is denying our residents.”

Cherry Hill School District Public Information Officer Susan Bastnagel issued this response to Platt’s comments:

“For more than 20 years, the township has had the option of requesting a dedicated governmental access channel and has collected franchise fees that could have supported that effort. It has never exercised the option. The mayor and Council want to make use of a resource that has been established, equipped, staffed and maintained by the board of education for more than 20 years. The board of education should be commended – not criticized – for moving carefully and deliberately as it considers amending a long-standing policy regarding the use of its educational access channel. Better for the board to proceed carefully now than to regret a change later.”