Mayor Yaede Calls On Council
to Approve Her Tax Cutting Budget

Today, Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede is once again calling upon the Township Council to approve her proposed 2019 Municipal Budget that would provide Hamilton taxpayers with a decrease in the municipal tax rate.

“I am once again calling on the Township Council to support my plan to reduce municipal taxes,” says Mayor Yaede.  “If Council President Martin or any Council Member is opposed to this tax cut for Hamilton taxpayers, they should come forward and publicly say so.”

Under Mayor Yaede’s plan, municipal taxes would be cut by over 1 ¼ (1.25) percent, while still investing in road repair projects, police vehicles and senior services.

“Council President Martin and the Township Council should do their job and not hold a tax cut for Hamilton residents hostage,” says Mayor Yaede.

But recently, the Council President has attempted to use Hamilton’s sewer utility – which has had no rate increase over the past decade – as a reason not to approve Mayor Yaede’s municipal budget proposal to reduce taxes.

While referencing the sewer budget in an email, Council President Jeff Martin, wrote, “Council will not be passing a budget until such time as we are comfortable that these [referring to the sewer] budget anomalies are adequately addressed.” However, the sewer utility is not funded by municipal taxes and would have no effect on Mayor Yaede’s proposed municipal tax cut. 

Additionally, Council President Martin curiously stated during budget hearings his concern for ‘Robbinsville’ taxpayers.

Robbinsville currently owes Hamilton’s sewer utility $1 million for past sewer service and is not paying its fair share in terms of its overall percentage usage (flow), which has grown by 60 percent over the past two decades with its increased development.

“Council President Martin and his Council colleagues need to remember that they serve on the Hamilton Township Council – not the Robbinsville Township Council,” says Mayor Yaede.  “If this Council is more concerned about a town that owes Hamilton’s sewer utility $1 million dollars than in providing a tax cut for Hamilton residents, then perhaps they should consider seeking public office in Robbinsville.”    

Lastly, the Township Council has attempted to suggest that the sewer utility will ‘run out of funds’, which Mayor Yaede explains is an unjustified scare tactic.

“Thanks to the strong financial management of our sewer utility, which has not increased rates over the past decade, our utility has historically been able to operate at the appropriations level in this year’s proposed sewer budget.  Therefore, to suggest that our sewer utility cannot operate with this same level of appropriations is an unjustified scare tactic,” says Mayor Yaede.  “Historically, revenues beyond this appropriations level have been returned to every ratepayer the following year, which has helped us to keep sewer rates flat for the past ten years.  Therefore, if the Township Council was really that concerned about our sewer utility revenues, they would join me in calling for Robbinsville to pay the $1 million they owe to every Hamilton ratepayer.”

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