Amodeo, Polistina unveil plan to restore municipal aid
Posted by Jersey Shore Breaking News at Wednesday, June 04. 2008 and is filed under Current of Galloway 
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP – Several Atlantic County elected officials voiced support Monday, June 2 for a plan touted by Assemblymen John Amodeo and Vince Polistina that would fully restore state aid to municipalities.
About 30 people attended a press conference held in the Four Seasons development.
"For years, state government has been throwing money down a rat hole. We need to stop playing politics with taxpayers’ money," said Polistina.
"Local governments run more efficiently than the state. Municipal aid should have never been on the governor's chopping block. Our plan proves it is possible to balance a budget without asking taxpayers to pay more."
He said Atlantic County stands to lose $4.2 million in state aid under the governor's budget proposal.
“As we have seen from a number of audits, there is a lot of wasteful spending in many state programs,” Polistina said. “Under the governor’s budget, Atlantic County taxpayers are being punished for other people’s bad decisions.
Our plan, which took ideas from both sides of the aisle, re-orders the state’s priorities in favor of property taxpayers.”
Amodeo said that restoring the $150 million Gov. John Corzine cut from municipal aid was part of a four-pronged plan worked out by the Republican Caucus in the Legislature to create $1.32 billion in savings for taxpayers.
The other actions would prevent higher property taxes, fund transportation projects without using the gasoline tax, and restore the Homestead Rebate, he said.
About 30 people attended a press conference held in the Four Seasons development.
"For years, state government has been throwing money down a rat hole. We need to stop playing politics with taxpayers’ money," said Polistina.
"Local governments run more efficiently than the state. Municipal aid should have never been on the governor's chopping block. Our plan proves it is possible to balance a budget without asking taxpayers to pay more."
He said Atlantic County stands to lose $4.2 million in state aid under the governor's budget proposal.
“As we have seen from a number of audits, there is a lot of wasteful spending in many state programs,” Polistina said. “Under the governor’s budget, Atlantic County taxpayers are being punished for other people’s bad decisions.
Our plan, which took ideas from both sides of the aisle, re-orders the state’s priorities in favor of property taxpayers.”
Amodeo said that restoring the $150 million Gov. John Corzine cut from municipal aid was part of a four-pronged plan worked out by the Republican Caucus in the Legislature to create $1.32 billion in savings for taxpayers.
The other actions would prevent higher property taxes, fund transportation projects without using the gasoline tax, and restore the Homestead Rebate, he said.
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