Politics & Government

RVSA Commissioner Reappointed

Chin, who represents Westfield in the regional sewer system—which is increasingly becoming a lightning rod for criticism—pledges to direct money responsibly.

Former Westfield Mayor Allen Chin said cuts to operating costs will top the agenda of the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority this year.

Chin was reappointed as Westfield's commissioner to the RVSA during Tuesday night's Town Council reorganization meeting, continuing service on the sewer board that started in 1985. Chin said the agency, which has been raising rates over the last few years to pay for an expansion of the sewerage treatment plant, can only make cuts to the operating budget in the coming year.

"We want to save as much money for the taxpayers as possible," he said.

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Chin said most of the agency's spending is in the bonds issued to pay for the plant expansion. The rates of the bonds are set and changes cannot be made to that aspect of the authority's budget, leaving only operating expenses on the chopping block.

Increasing rates from the RVSA have come under fire from the member municipalities, which have had to pass the cost along to residents in the form of property tax hikes (Springfield and other municipalities are considering charging RVSA rates separate from taxes with a utility bill-like fee).

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Several communities have banded together in an effort to try to stop hikes out of the RVSA. Last month, now former Mayor Fraenkel and other officials requested the RVSA delay its budget so municipalities could review it, but the RVSA voted the budget through.


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