Haines, Addiego, Rudder call for County Superintendent's job

By Robbie Kenney

Senator Phil Haines, Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego and Assemblyman Scott Rudder today called on Governor Corzine to fire Burlington County Superintendent of Schools Lester Richens for his decision to forbid the Borough of Pemberton from cutting school taxes.

“This was a slap in the face to every property taxpayer in Pemberton Borough, and a warning to property taxpayers in Burlington County. Under the Corzine administration, cutting taxes is illegal,” said Assemblyman Rudder. “Trenton and Richens are playing the role of school yard bullies.”

The proposed school district budget would have sliced almost $300 from the tax bill of the owner of an average home in the Borough. But Richens, appointed to his job by Governor Corzine, stepped in and enforced a “minimum tax levy” that effectively erased almost 60 percent of that savings.

“The Superintendent has demonstrated a shocking lack of regard for the property taxpayers, and for this breach of the public trust, he should be fired,” said Senator Haines. “He should be replaced with somebody from Burlington County, with knowledge about the area, knowledge about the people, and knowledge about the needs of the students,” said Senator Haines.

The school district in the Borough of Pemberton is non-operating, and in previous cases, the minimum tax levy clause has been waived for non-operating districts. Richens refused to make a similar compromise in this case.

“Trenton is changing the rules in the middle of the game, and helping itself to even more taxpayer money,” said Assemblywoman Addiego. “Richens’ message to property taxpayers is: You don’t matter. You can’t have lower property taxes. It’s appalling. Instead of helping school districts find ways to cut taxes, he is forcing them to tax more.”

“This is one more injustice to the property taxpayers. Corzine has cut aid to their towns, taken away their rebate checks, and balanced the cost of government on their backs. And now he is forbidding a school district from lowering taxes,” said Assemblyman Rudder. “We are demanding Superintendent Richens pay for this convoluted thinking with his job.”

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Dear Governor Corzine:

We are shocked and amazed that it is illegal to cut property taxes under your administration.

It is with consternation and disbelief that we write today, regarding the preposterous mistreatment of the property taxpayers in Borough of Pemberton in the 8^th District. The Borough’s school district proposed a school budget that would have slashed property taxes by almost $300 for the owner of the average home.

But your appointed County Superintendent, Lester Richens, acting against the interests of the municipality’s property taxpayers, instead opted to force the school district to abide by the state minimum levy. For that, he should be terminated.

Superintendent Richens was put in the position to try to help save taxpayers money. This issue spotlights an egregious lack of due diligence, and a blatant failure to follow through with his appointed mandate.

We implore you to right this ridiculous wrong, and protect the Borough’s property taxpayers from this blatant example of government bullying.

We are horrified by the twisted logic behind this decision. The local government had the rarest of opportunities to roll back the pressure on the property taxpayers, only to have the opportunity scuttled by the Superintendent’s personal agenda and convoluted sense of fairness.

Pemberton Borough is a non-operating school district; students from the borough are schooled in Pemberton Township, and the borough pays per-student tuition.

There is precedence for waiving the minimum levy for non-operating districts. It has been done in Lake Cuomo and Allenhurst in Monmouth County and in Tavistock in Camden County.

This time, however, the state has changed the rules of the game at the expense of already overloaded taxpayers. We are disgusted by the callousness of this action.

The injustice done to the property taxpayers of Pemberton Borough is especially ludicrous now, when their municipal aid has been cut again, their rebate checks have been taken away, and Trenton continues to balance the cost of government on the backs of property taxpayers.

Your administration has failed property taxpayers many times before, but this is the most flagrant example of insensitivity toward middleclass families.

Superintendent Richens has failed the property taxpayers of the Borough of Pemberton and should be fired immediately.

He should be replaced with someone from Burlington County who has knowledge of the area, knowledge of the people, and knowledge of the needs of the students.

Superintendent Richens’ inexcusable lack of empathy for the taxpayers must not go unpunished.

We are available and willing to discuss this disturbing matter with you, and can be reached through the 8^th District office at 654-1498.

Sincerely,

PHILIP E. HAINES

Senator

DAWN MARIE ADDIEGO

Assemblywoman

SCOTT RUDDER

Assemblyman

ROBBIE KENNEY can be reached via email at 8thleg@gmail.com.

Related topics: Haines, Addiego, Rudder, 8th District

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