The challengers to Mike Mignogna and Harry Platt are trying to get your vote based upon fear instead of fact. Mike and Harry are campaigning on a very solid record of accomplishment. Here are the facts about some of their accomplishments in just the last three years:
In spite of massive cuts in our fair share of revenue from Trenton, Mike and Harry have stabilized taxes and have even managed a small tax cut this year.
Cut spending by $225,000 in 2011 while maintaining services.
Negotiated a developer paid $10 million sewer upgrade; Voorhees was out of sewer capacity and we would have had to pay this ourselves or no new hospital, no new ratables period.
Negotiated a 50 percent ratable content to the Virtua complex; the hospital itself is tax exempt and thus does not bring in tax dollars. We have a significant revenue stream that will come on-line in 2012 to assure stabile or lower municipal taxes.
Replaced our obsolete township building at no cost to the taxpayers. We have no payments due (interest free) for two years. That affords us the opportunity to sell the old site when the market has recovered somewhat. After the two years, the proceeds from selling the property and the new ratables on that site will pay the remainder of the cost. A new township building at essentially NO COST to the taxpayers!
Joined the county dispatch to save $400,000 annually. Mike and Harry based this decision on the fact that 70 percent of our emergency calls were being handled by the county anyway. Why pay twice for the same service? All cell phone calls go through the county dispatch; that 70 percent will go up in the future as cell phones keep replacing land lines.
Purchased our utilities directly to save $150,000 and moved to a self-insured dental plan to save tens of thousands.
Provide income from shared services; snow removal for Eastern High School and leaf removal for Gibbsboro. Lowering future trash disposal costs with a seven municipality agreement.
I want to dispel some of the fear tactics being spread by the challengers. Voorhees remains a fantastic place to live and is only getting better through the efforts of our township employees and the leadership of our committee.
Mike and Harry have repeatedly stated on the record that the Voorhees police will not join a county-wide force. It makes no sense for us.
We own the township building fee simple, just as you own a house. The utilities are separate from the mall, the building can stand alone. At a debate, both challengers claimed we only “own what is inside the four walls.” They don’t know the facts or aren’t telling the truth.
At the same debate, they both stated that the future property revaluation will “skyrocket” all of our taxes. Again, they don’t know the facts or aren’t telling the truth. By law, the township can only collect the same amount of tax dollars after a revaluation; some individuals pay more, some less and some the same.
Their ads claim our public safety is at risk by using county dispatch. Crime statistics clearly show Voorhees remains at the top of the safest communities in South Jersey, and 70 percent of these calls were already being handled by county dispatch! Again, they don’t know the facts or aren’t telling the truth.
I want you to check the facts and vote accomplishment over fear. Vote Mignogna-Platt and let them continue the fantastic job they have been doing for us, the taxpayers of Voorhees.
Jay Sherbine
Voorhees
