Gov. Christie Touts Sandy Grant Program

Gov. Chris Christie visited Toms River Wednesday to speak about a grant program that officials have said saved residents from a 30 to 40 percent property tax increase.

Toms River has received a combined $28 million in Essential Services Grant funding between township and school district awards, according to the governor’s office.

That money helped to balance an 18 percent drop in Toms River’s ratables base following Superstorm Sandy’s devastation, and is just one example of how grant funding like this is affecting communities throughout the shore.

Christie, joined by Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher and Chief of Police Michael Mastronardy, spoke about the grant program during a press conference at township’s police department headquarters Wednesday afternoon.

“The needs of New Jersey's hardest hit municipalities can place a heavy burden on city budgets and local officials,” Christie said in prepared remarks. “As many communities now face difficult budget decisions, we are confident that the Essential Services Grant program will help keep essential services running while the recovery process continues.”

Officials said that a $15.5 million Essential Services Grant is helping Toms River prevent layoffs, maintain its public works services and continue its financial support of volunteer emergency first aid squads, while continuing to provide critical police, public works, education and emergency first aid services. 

"I know that this grant that the governor is going to announce is going to help us stabilize and rebuild," Mastronardy said, adding that his force is already down officers and could have lost more by next year without the funding. 

An additional $12.5 million grant was awarded to the Toms River Board of Education to maintain education services to students, according to the governor’s office.

Of the $60 million available for the program, $44 million has been dispensed thus far, Christie said, and applications from municipalities still are being considered.

Christie cautioned that municipalities should not count on receiving the same amount of funding next year, though it is possible they may.

“We’re dealing with it one year at a time,” he said.