There was a wealth of knowledge shared at this year’s NJ League of Municipalities Conference. The poor health of the economy brought hundreds of attendees to an early morning session entitled "Multi Year and Long Range Financial Planning". The session was informative, reminding elected officials and administrators of the basics of financial planning as well as highlighting increasingly popular methods of stretching taxpayer dollars.
A general consensus among the presenters was that a quality long-term budget forecasts 5-8 years out. It would be wise for Plainfield to plan that far out in advance. Of course, forecasting is only possible with meaningful historic data that has been analyzed appropriately. One of the first steps Plainfield must take is giving meaning to historic data. Understanding expenses and revenue streams aid in identifying financial opportunities and challenges.
During the week‘s many events, Governor Corzine proposed a temporary deferment of 50% of municipal payments into the state pension fund. The proposal requires legislative approval. However, if passed, New Jersey municipalities could opt to defer over $1 billion in pension fund payments. Governor Corzine emphasized that this would be a temporary deferment only and that payments would be made gradually by 2012 (original payment due + interest).
Such a deferment would certainly help Plainfield meet its immediate budget needs. However, other solutions still need to be explored. The Governor (and many others) emphasized shared equipment and services. Such methods have had a meaningful impact in surrounding communities. The Mayor and Council should be looking to extend or implement shared services agreements where logical.
In this “bail out plan” economy, we need to weigh every possible option in order to ease our financial woes. Getting a handle on Plainfield’s financial health must be made a priority if we are to move forward.
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13 comments:
You're so smart :)
You are right in your comments, especially about shared services.
We should also transfer some responsibility onto the taxpayer to free up services.
An example is to make the taxpayer responsible for the trees on the area between the sidewalk and street. Tree services can be offered at the price the city would pay, and if the owner does not care for the trees, they are fined.
This would free up the DPW to care for streets and other activities under its domain.
I am looking forward to your participation in the 2009 council meetings, especially your fresh and dynamic outlook and ideas.
There are advanatges to shared service agreements and deferment of pension funding. But these action steps do not deal with the pressing issue that has plagued Plainfield for decades: what action steps can government take to attract people to Plainfield with more disposable income - higher purchasing power? Until this occurs, Plainfield will continue to rank as one of Central New Jersey's least attrative communities as a place to live. Ramification: minimal commercial appeal - a downtown that will never see the much talked about revitalization - for commerce mirrors puchasing power of its defined market place.
I was surprised to read over the past few days within the Courier News the misinformation dealing with the committee put together to oversee the budget. What it actually did however, was show to the public that Councilman Rashid Burney is not a part of the negative group of people who constantly embarrass the city with their negative approach to government.
In the report issued by this oversight committee, there was not one solution offered to the problems mentioned. The council does not run the Board of Education. I am happy to see that Councilman Burney, who is a straight arrow, has chose not to get involved with belligerent politics. I watched how he and Assemblyman Jerry Green worked diligently on behalf of Presidential Elect Barack Obama’s campaign. This relationship looks and acts in genuine sincerity in its approach to move this city into the right direction.
Unfortunately, positive and production relationship building spurns negativity in those involved in the debilitating politico that takes advantage of the city of Plainfield repeatedly. I’ve been waiting for another productive relationship between our elected officials to come about, and at the first of the year, I hope and pray that the Green/Burney team will be perceived in a positive light, with their above-mentioned fruits as evidence of their commitment to positive change. This truthful and honest deduction of community efforts should not be slanted, as Dan Damon and others have tirelessly tried to degrade and put a negative spin on the Green/Robinson team. How can one protest the productive working relationships between a State Legislator and the municipal officials wherein he lives?
In closing, I would just like to again, say thank you to Councilman Rashid Burney, and congratulations in doing such a great job in persevering in a city where negativity from an out-of-touch faction still haunts us every now and then. Don’t let this handful of disconnected people thwart your efforts, passions, or integrity as President of City Council.
You have done more than your job description outlines, which is why the respect from the people in the city you have earned, is etched in marble. I am proud to be a support of yours!
LearnedThinker
LearnedThinker,
I couldn't agree more that productive working relationships are key to the city's success. Hopefully you see more than just a Green/Burney team or Green/Robinson team in Plainfield. There are many more players than that and everyone needs to be included in "the team" to move the City in the right direction. Two people alone can't solve the city's problems.
So let's look forward to 2009 knowing that we have a 7-member Council, a Mayor and her Administration, a Freeholder, an Assemblyman and entities like the BOE and the PMUA and our national representatives who all have to work together for the good of the City.
I look forward to more of your comments!
Annie
Excellent point, a 2-personed team in this matter is ill-equipped. However, my point was to show, in my opinion, the right direction in which we as a city seem to be moving in. I'm seeing team ball in different areas now and more working relationships established.
Councilman Burney's monumental efforts with the Obama campaign, for one, teamed with the tremendoes effort I took part in at the volunteer headquarters funded by Mr. Green primarily, is a shining example of the change I am witnessing; which is why I cited that relationship.
I am sooooo excited to see you in action Councilwoman McWilliams!! Your intelligence and personality are brilliant, and should have a huge positive impact on the city! Let integrity lead the way!!
LearnedThinker
The mantra about team work and how Plainfield will move forward with an air of cooperation and inclusiveness sounds familar. It's a canard. Don't believe it. Over decades, political leadership in Plainfield has failed for it has not been inclusive - with ideas or people. It has been about race and maintaining power. Assemblyman Jerry Green and his factotum, Mayor Briggs, are users of people; when they take all that they can from you, they discard you to the heap of irrelevancy. Today, they are fighting for their political leadership of our community and the power of patronage that comes with it. What is a leader? A leader is someone who lets other people lead. When those leaders are successful - the leader is successful. This is not how one would define the Green/Briggs team or Assemblyman Jerry Green! So budding politicans, don't get too close to the fire.
Anonymous,
I have been a Plainfield resident for five years now which is long enough to see the struggle between the late Mayor McWilliams and Assemblyman Green and long enough to see Plainfield slide toward disaster. Which, by the way, seems to be getting even more disasterous every day. But my question to you is: How in the world will things improve if the people who are doing the right thing can't win (since they don't work for Jerry Green like most of our current council and mayor and most of city hall and most of the pmua and boe, heck everyone)? Why should I even vote if my choice is our current mayor or a "New Democrat" that won't be supported by the County and Democratic Leaders whom hold the reigns of power? I guess what I'm trying to say is that your point is well taken, but its also scary. Are we doomed to fail? Should I pack up now and take my kids to another school district?
- Confused & Concerned Resident
To Confussed & Concerned Resident,
As a short timer in Plainfield, I am astonished and confused as to why the people in Plainfield are enslaved to Jerry Green. He is one person who seems to have bullied a city into thinking that his way is the only way.
Your comment about why vote is a classic example of you being bullied. Why vote? Because if you do not, nothing changes. And if your friends don't vote, more of nothing changes.
My recommendation is not only must you vote, but all registered Republicans should change their affiliation to Democrate for the Plainfield primary only. Then they can have a say in how the town is run. As soon as they vote in the primary, change back to your Republican party affiliation and vote for whomever you wish in the general election.
All parites should have a say in this city, and that seems to be the only way.
There is only one - maybe two- person who could turn the ship around. There needs to be passion coupled with a clear vision and confidence to surround oneself with other leaders. It will take courage. Opportunity may only knock once. Peole move on. Lives change. Priorities change. Now is the time. Throw ones mind over the hurdle and the body will follow.
As a born and raised Plainfield native, I cant wait for the first of the year for the new council members to get sworn in! Its gonna be very interesting to see how the new council is gonna deal with the budget, since they’re gonna have to move on it, and they have been SOOOOO critical of the council and mayor in terms of how they’ve handled the finances in the city.
In being an avid reader of the blogs, I read in Adrian Mapp’s the other day that he is the Chief Financial Director for the Borough of Roselle. There he makes $107, 000. Then I looked at the same position for a neighboring town and saw that their Chief Financial Director makes $77,000, and her town is twice the size of Roselle. The difference in their salaries is reflected through he being politically connected, and she not being so. How then is he going to ask the employees of the city of Plainfield, to take pay cuts; specifically in the police and fire departments, and fall right in sync with the old way of politics...?
I read in the newspaper that there’s a possibility that NJ will be moving in the direction of same-sex marriages. My question to Dan Damon, his partner, and his friends, is this: how can you ask Jerry Green(JG) to support this, when you’ve been stabbing him in the back for the past 3 years? Especially since, the last time issues dealing with this matter, JG was one of the first to stand up for the gay community in NJ. I’ll be looking forward to seeing how Adrian, Annie, and Cory deal with this issue...
WAKE UP JG!! These people will NEVER be your friends; unless you shift your way of thinking to that of a Clarence Thomas. And JG, he’s no Clarence, lol.
Let me leave you with this, I, like 70% of the African-American community, will be watching how you vote!
Sour Grapes
I’m happy to see Bernice finally got some religion before it was tooo late! For the first time in a long time, I can pick up a Courier News and read articles that are fair and positive not only to Plainfield but to people who live there. This was a far cry from the days that she was writing for the newspaper.
I feel as a staff writer she brought more harm than good to the city than I’ve seen in a long time and I’ve been living here since before the race riots! I can remember when Mayor Rick Taylor and, at the time Councilman Harold Mitchell were fighting and Bernice had a field day with them! She was challenging them to both take drugs tests!
Just recently this year, Assemblyman Green took the leadership in NJ dealing with Affordable Housing, and questioned hotels like the Park Hotel here in Plainfield which has a lot of residents and they are low income earning residents. He asked why didn’t the surrounding cities have such institutions. Good question! But Bernice went out her way to criticize him, while he was trying to help the city because the city is able to prove that they have more than their fair share of group housing facilities.
I’ve never had the opportunity to read a single good thing about Mr. Green from the fingertips of Bernice. So maybe she will keep her word. When she has nothing good to say about the city or its elected officials, that she continuously do her religious work by keeping quite.
PS: It’s nice to here the majority of mayors and leaders across the state support Mr. Green and his efforts with the Affordable Housing committee, including REPUBLICANS across the state! Nice!!
Glad to see that you see a spirit of cooperation Annie. There are those individuals who live AND work in this city who see hope once again since you and Mapp have been elected. I agree with you on everything, except that Mayor Sharon has got to go. We need only cooperate with her until she is finally out of office. To get a perspective on our city from a satirical point of view go to
http://dumpsharon.blogspot.com
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