Looming Sequestration Cuts Shouldn't Have Much Of An Effect on Berkeley, Mayor Says
Budget introduction will be delayed this year for a number of reasons
The federal sequestration cuts slated for March 1 shouldn't affect Berkeley Township at all, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said.
"It does not look like we would lose any funds," he said. "We barely get any federal funding as it is."
Berkeley receives a $24,000 Homeland Security Grant through the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management. The township has received Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grants in the past, which paid for 75 percent of the salary and benefits for new officers for 36 months, Amato said.
"We will most likely apply again in the future," he said.
However, the municipal budget introduction will be delayed this year, Amato said.
The township is waiting for confirmation of its state aid numbers, the total tax revenue loss in ratables following Superstorm Sandy and the declining tax collection rate.
"I don't anticipate introducing the budget until possibly late spring," Amato said. "We are in the process of setting up meetings with the Council Finance Committee to review."
Keeping whats mine
7:30 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
For the amount of taxes we pay, and for what we get above and beyond what is necessary i for one do not want to hear any crying about money. If money is tight cut the deadwood loose. I have seen plenty of it. Happy March
Mike Daly
8:13 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
With all due respect Mr. Mayor, if you beleive Berekeley will be mostly unaffected simply becasue the town "barely" receives any federal monies directly, you seriously do not understand what is coming.
We'll see in about 60 days if that statment is still true and everyone in town feels unaffected. Today was the dealine but it is not like flipping a wall switch. There is a 30 day noification period and THEN things will start to slowly happen, again nothing instant like flipping a switch. Just slowly you will start to see more and more delays, more and more services slow down and even stop. It wil also be a ripple affect, so while the town itself might barely receive Federal monies directly, the state does and it has to affect our share of what we receive from the state.
There are also a number of people in town who benefit from federal programs in one form or another. No impact? Sorry, there has to be. Maybe not today, maybe not in March. But it is coming for sure to affect all of us directly and indirectly.
Mike Daly
8:13 am on Friday, March 1, 2013
The next milestone is the Pressident will sign the sequestration order today, then the process of notifying various agencies with regards to the cuts officially begins. President Obama has stated he will meet one more time with Congressional leaders today before he signs. The agency I work for in the Departent of Defense down in Maryland has already begun planning to furlough us. Formal letters have not gone out yet, but when they do we expect to seea furlough of one day a week (or a 20% pay cut) over the course of about 22 weeks starting in April.
Oh BTW, is anyone still waiting on FEMA monies in Berkeley? Does anyone in Berkeley receive Meals On Wheels? Lots of additional unforseen and unintended negative things are coming. Like a stone in a pond, the ripple affect will spread.
This is going to affect all of us in one form or fashion,
butch cassidy
11:30 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013
what on earth is wrong with our president?
butch cassidy
11:31 am on Thursday, March 7, 2013
serious decisions like military defense should not be dismissed...geez does anyone want to fly with less traffic controllers...o i know lets allow knives on planes now