Township Committee Endorses Christie's Tax Cap Amendment

Despite concern from Deputy Mayor Bart Fraenkel about lack of information supporting the measure, Springfield's governing body passed a resolution endorsing Governor Christie's proposal to place a 2.5 percent cap on annual property tax increases and other budget changes at their most recent meeting.

Committee member Hugh Keffer introduced the resolution. Springfield Mayor Ziad Shehady, who attended the meeting remotely via a web cam hookup, characterized the resolution as a symbolic show of support for Christie's budget package. Christie is proposing a state constitutional amendment that would prevent municipalities from raising property taxes by more than 2.5 percent annually, unless voters agree to an additional hike.

The resolution itself veers away from the dry language typical of government documents. Noting that New Jersey residents pay the highest property taxes in America, the resolution says the state's "fiscal and economic woes have spiraled out of control" due to "unfunded mandates on county and local governments," public workers' benefits and "general out of control spending and mismanagement of fiscal affairs by prior state administrations."

The resolution continues by applauding Christie for "taking the bull by the horns and not shirking from his responsibilities" through his economic proposals.

While he did not take issue with the substance of the resolution, Deputy Mayor Fraenkel said he believed there was a lack of supporting documentation for the resolution. He ultimately abstained from voting on the resolution, which passed 4-0.