Do-Nothing GT Council Votes to Do Nothing on Solar Panels

Do-Nothing Council Votes to Do Nothing on Solar Panels

Hutchison and Schmidt Vote against Addressing Their Own Campaign Issue

Gloucester Twp (September 29, 2009) - Last night, Council voted against a resolution mandating the GEMS sub-committee meet and present to them an RFQ prior to October 12, 2009.  The resolution, introduced by Councilwoman Shelley Lovett and seconded by Councilwoman Crystal Evans, noted that with the budget proposal indicating a severe revenue gap, it was the Council's "responsibility to further cut expenses while maintaining essential Township services and entertaining all practical ways to generate homegrown income to Gloucester Township."

Despite the Dave Mayer Team's campaign promise to "install solar panels, reducing local energy dependence and cutting energy costs for the township and the school district" (mayerformayor.org/press_release.php, accessed 9/29/2009), members of the team on Council have failed in their capacity to act on such initiatives or even address them in a timely manner.   

Said Councilwoman Lovett, "In light of the budget discussion, I felt this was a no-brainer issue upon which both sides could agree and lessen the tax burden on Gloucester Township families.  Instead, it appears to be empty campaign rhetoric for Dan Hutchison and Frank Schmidt, who choose to play politics and shift the costs onto our families.  Over the past year and a half, the Council has done nothing but stall, and in going against their own campaign issue they have shown just whose interests they are looking out for.  Their actions - or lack thereof -are a far cry from their rhetoric."

It was noted in Mayor Cindy Raun-Hatton's budget presentation last week that despite proposed expenditures being equal or below those that were approved by Council last year, failure by Council to act on multiple GEMS Landfill and other revenue-generating proposals has resulted in a $980,327 revenue shortfall.