Kennedy & Rahway Dems Are At It Again!!

June 16 2009 

 Rahway Republican Committee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Patrick Cassio, Chairman

Phone 732-388-7671 

KENNEDY AND RAHWAY DEMS ARE AT IT AGAIN! 

RESIDENTS TO BE BURDENED WITH HIDDEN TAX INCREASES IN SEWER, WATER, AND PERMIT FEES. 

 RAHWAY OFFICIALS SIT ON HUGE SURPLUS FROM PRIOR COLLECTIONS 

The Rahway GOP will show any interested party that this Rahway Budget document clearly says “appropriated Sewer Budget” and clearly says surplus for FY 2009.  

“This is nothing more then a stealth tax increase on the hardworking families of Rahway and the city officials who are perpetrating this on the tax payers are really hiding a "slush fund” they created from over charging the sewer tax".    Said Patrick Cassio Rahway GOP Chair 

Rahway residents are being hit hard by large “hidden taxes” this month after the Democrat controlled council approved increases in water, sewer, and permit fees during last Wed. night’s meeting.  

Approved on 1st reading with an 8-0 vote (Councilman Akbar absent), were new ordinances that raise sewer taxes 9% and water rates 8%. In addition, a 3rd ordinance was passed raising permit and license fees for all types of business's in Rahway. A final vote on June 30 to approve these ordinances is needed so they can take affect immediately in this fiscal year. July 1st starts a new fiscal year in Rahway city Government. 

Several members of the Rahway GOP asked why the Kennedy administration was seeking to raise sewer charges while the year and half old city sewer utility was showing a surplus in budget documents. 

Republican Chairman Patick Cassio asked members of city council to examine city budget documents before voting yes to a sewer rate increase. Cassio also pointed to a letter sent to residents just last year from Mayor Kennedy explaining the new sewer tax, in it  Kennedy stated, “These rates should stay the same for 5 years.” 

Cassio also held up approved city Sewer Utility documents showing over a $677,000.00 surplus.

"Why are you raising rates now when your own budget shows you are already overcharging resident for sewer? Here is a chance to show the public that you not just a rubber stamp yes vote” said Cassio 

Caught unprepared, the city CFO Frank Ruggerio had to retreat to his office to retrieve a copy of his budget. In the meantime the City Business Administrator Peter Pelissier claimed he “Wasn’t aware of what part of the budget Mr. Cassio was referring to, but any surplus usually goes into the general fund.” Later in the meeting he changed his comments to “Mr. Cassio doesn’t understand that this is anticipated revenue. For 2 years I have offered to meet with Mr. Cassio time and again to answer any questions he has.”  

The Rahway GOP maintains Mr.Pelissier has a long history of avoiding answering direct questions in public and instead tries to discredit concerned taxpayers who confront him at council meetings. 

The Rahway GOP will show any interested party that this Rahway Budget document clearly says “appropriated Sewer Budget” and clearly says surplus for FY 2009.  

3^rd Ward Democrat Councilman Jerry Scaturo also ridiculed Cassio stating: “this gentleman says we don’t asked questions; he was here last week and knows we asked questions. He should come up here more prepared when he speaks.”

A local resident, Kevin Retcho later pointed out “the Council only received these ordinances last week so how could anyone from the public know what was in them to ask questions last week”?

 "I demanded answers and got nothing but ridicule from career politicians on this city council and they should be ashamed of themselves for not standing up for the people in Rahway during this economic downturn. One of them said that I should “take a course on Municipal budget at Rutgers”.  It is these types of answers to residents questions from political “stooges” that NJ taxpayers are fed up with. 

 “This is nothing more then a stealth tax increase on the hardworking families of Rahway and the city officials who are perpetrating this on the tax payers are really hiding a "slush fund” they created from over charging the sewer tax".   Said Patrick Cassio Rahway GOP Chair 

A special meeting is scheduled for June 30th at 6:30pm city hall and is nothing more then a formality because of the "iron grip" Mayor Kennedy enjoys over the 9 career democrat politicians on the Rahway Council. 

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