To the Editor:
The mayor and City Council are working on a budget that calls for a 0 percent tax increase. It’s amazing. I forgot the election is coming up soon. Mayor Smith dare not raise taxes now. Wait a minute. He raised taxes last year. It’s amazing. The Board of Education slashes the school budget even with loss of state aid! It’s amazing. Forgot again, it’s election time.
For a brief moment, I thought Mayor Smith was making a difference here, but then he (along with the City Council) blew it. The fire unions were awarded with a contract that gives a 15 percent raise. It’s amazing. The teachers’ contract is up on June 30, wonder what they will get? Not sure about the police of Bayonne and municipal workers yet. Over 70 percent of the city’s budget goes for salary and benefits.
I urge all residents who have access to a computer to visit this websits:Nj.com/news/bythe numbers and see for yourselves, how much all municipal workers in Bayonne (police, fire fighters, teachers and city workers) make in salary and benefits. I’s amazing.
If the city keeps awarding these generous contracts out (and they probably will) it will really be amazing how much property taxes will go up in the coming years!
MIKE ZARICHNYJ