This week’s Dispatches focuses on the need to reduce the number of municipalities in the state, pegged to a proposal from Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts that he says will streamline the new process.
And, as we speak, the Morris County towns of Chester Borough and Chester Township are floating the idea of becoming one municipality.
Bill Cogger and Dennis Verbaro, the mayors of the two municipalities, are meeting today with state officials to explore what it would take to formally become one community, given Gov. Jon Corzine’s effort to drive down the cost of state government by encouraging the mergers of small towns such as the Chesters.
“Merging is a desire both communities wish to explore,” said Cogger, who is mayor of Chester Township. “We’re hoping the (state) government will pass legislation to make the process easier and will make good on its offer to not penalize taxpayers.”
The issues faced in the Chesters appear similar to those that would face other communities — the two Princetons, for instance, or the two Hopewells. Or Monroe and Jamesburg. The difference with Monroe and Jamesburg, of course, is that they do not share a name, though their history is intertwined. Before the late 1800s, Jamesburg was part of Monroe, serving as the town’s business center. And Monroe and Jamesburg kids have always attended high school together — first at Jamesburg High School and then at Monroe Township High School.
All of these towns could achieve some savings — a point that those who refuse to acknowledge. Some, like former Chester Township Mayor Ken Caro, points the finger at larger cities to essentially throw the dogs of the scent.
“(Town mergers) is a myth perpetrated by the state to get the monkey off their back,” Caro said.
“Trenton is afraid to address the real problem — that spending in big cities is what’s out of control. (Former Newark Mayor) Sharpe James stole more in a year than we could save in a hundred in Chester.”
This, of course, perpetuates another myth — that corruption accounts for the lion’s share of excess spending in the state. Corruption is a problem, both in terms of wasted money and confidence in government, but it is foolish to assume that ending corruption will fix our fiscal problems all by itself.
There are 13 elected officials representing Monroe and Jamesburg, two clerks, two administrators, two police chiefs, etc. Merging the two towns would cut all of this in half. Merging also would expand other opportunities — residents would get the benefit of an economy of scale that doesn’t exist now.
Other towns — the Princetons, for instance — would see less direct economic benefit because they share most of the major spending items, but they likely would still see some savings.
Should all of these towns be merged? No. But we should be looking at potential mergers and asking serious questions that, in the end, could result in a reduction in the number of towns and school districts, a reconfiguration of the state’s counties, etc.
South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
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Hank Kalet 