Where Are Our Tax Dollars Going?

Many homeowners want to know where their tax money is going? Englewood is an expensive city to live in. The City has hundreds of employees who receive good salaries, pensions and benefits. These employees work in different departments; the Health Department and the Library both have their own appointed Boards, which are autonomous. The Health Department and Library salaries and budgets are not under the supervision of our Chief Financial Officer. Also we have the Department of Public Works, Englewood Parks & Recreation, Police Department, Fire Department, Community House, Englewood Ambulance Corp., Englewood Housing Authority, City Hall and the Court House. The City of Englewood does not share services with other towns or the County like other municipalities. Unfortunately, we the homeowners carry the biggest tax burden. Could we do better? Yes. If our city council, after studying this situation, decides to share some services with other towns or with the county. For example the Health Department could be shared with a neighboring town or the county. Some of the funds we save could be used to hire more police.

The Library and the Health Department employees just received a raise. The Department of Public Works is in the process of negotiating raises. The teachers union is also negotiating their contract. Where is the money going to come from? It will come from our pockets of course! According to our tax assessor Englewood has 6,527 homes (4 families or less), 481 commercial properties, 135 industrial properties and 55 apartments. The last census shows that only 26,000 people live in Englewood. Our population is small compared to Teaneck where nearly 40,000 people live. Should the City Council study the possibility of merging services with other cities or county? What is your opinion? Please write us and let us know by fax 201-569-1636, or email secretary@englewoodhomeowners.com. (Members in good standing only!)

That’s why we need rateables -- real ones -- not some grandiose fantasy like the $500 million proposed project to redevelop the old industrial park.

Governor elect James McCreevey is calling for cost cuts. We are in an economic recession and we have been in a serious slow down for almost a year and a half. Englewood homeowners have been affected and paying higher taxes may be out of the question.

Now, it is up to the City Council to study how to cut costs. We share the Library with Englewood Cliffs, but they pay only a small fraction of the Library budget. It would be helpful if Englewood Cliffs would pay more. It is important at this time that our City Council study the possibility of cutting costs, at least in departments where services can be provided by merging with other municipalities or the county. To our councilmen we say, “Wake up! We are in a recession -- a recession that has hit Englewood too!” This wake up call goes for the Board of Education, the Board of Health, and the Library Board as well.

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