Dear Editor:
In response to the article “Bright Ideas for a Dark Subject”, the article stated that new Business Administrator Jack Kelly has not been given any suggestions from the public for cost reductions. Really? He was the speaker at the Van Vorst Park Neighborhood Association meeting on July 20. We gave him an earful. BA Kelly needs to take notes.
For the record, here are a few that I suggested:
Fold the JC MUA into the city as in the past, when it was the Water & Sewerage Department. Back then, the city operated the system, unlike now with United Water. As a department, it was profitable at reasonable rates before former Mayor Schundler formed the MUA. The MUA was set up to be a bonding vehicle to fund that annual “structural deficit,” which has ballooned to $80 million, even though new ratables grew at an astronomical rate. Eliminate the board, which have no relative expertise, yet gives out millions in consultant contracts, and nothing gets fixed unless it’s a line collapse. We’ll save on the health benefits, convention costs, and patronage. The taxpayers can’t afford these “autonomous agencies” any more. Throughout the state, numerous towns have eliminated their MUA’s, as they found them ineffective and expensive, as in Jersey City. The legislation already exits to terminate them.
Fold the JC Incinerator Authority into the Public Works Department. We don’t have an incinerator, and Waste Management collects the garbage. To cut costs, decrease street cleaning to twice a week. Use some of the savings to repair the sweepers. I’m tired of seeing the trail of debris from the sweeper after the street “has been cleaned”. Consolidate the inspectors, eliminate the NID department. Streamline government by eliminating duplication and reducing the number of managers sitting behind desks.
Considering the cost of police and fire, an audit and procedures review of police overtime and sick time is in order. Compare the sick logs, which should be computerized – and if not, then why not – to the private duty jobs logs. The BA’s response to this comment was that an officer is assigned to call sick officers at home several times a day to check. I later asked a police officer, who responded that as many as 80 plus officers can be sick on any day, so it’s impossible for one person to track them.
The system of accountability has always been lacking. One example is Capt. Perez, who worked as a bus driver for NJ Transit for several years, the same time he was scheduled to work at the precinct! As opposed to being charged, the brass retired him with full pension. We’ve had police captains delivering newspapers while they were scheduled to work at the precinct!
There’s plenty more, but I’m out of space. An $80 million deficit doesn’t get closed with nickel, dime changes. Bite the bullet. The guy on the street is getting buried with taxes.
Mia Scanga, CPA
Over-taxed Jersey City resident