Lakewood fire district has the largest proposed budget of all other towns at the Jersey shore at $6.3 million, a 33 percent increase over last year. The township of Lakewood had a surplus of 20 million dollars and it threw millions to the public schools, busing and other programs. The EMS and Police departments are all covered by the municipal budget Why cant the township cover the fire increase instead of Lakewood taxpayers having to pay an additional 1.5 Million dollars? In other towns the fire district is part of the municipal government.
By Law the fire district is a separate entity and has its own department but its not a fair system is not fair for the Lakewood taxpayers.
Back in December the Fire district had elections to include $1.3 million dollar spending in the proposed 2018 budget. Only 100 people in all of Lakewood voted to approve it. In a town of 150,000 residents all you need is a fraction to vote on a million dollar tax increase.
The district called the result overwhelming on its website:
The Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners held a Special Meeting (Election) on December 5, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Fire District Administrative Offices on 316 River
Avenue. The result of this Special Meeting (Election) was overwhelming approval by the voters to include four capital improvement projects in the 2018 Budget, which budget will ultimately be voted upon at the Fire District Election on February 17, 2018, by the legal voters within the
Township.
Despite all the building and new construction the taxes only keep going up and up. Its time to think about incorporating the fire district and many other township commissions that each have its own director, lawyers, commissioners drawing fat salaries bilking the hard working tax payers of lakewood.
By Law the fire district is a separate entity and has its own department but its not a fair system is not fair for the Lakewood taxpayers.
Back in December the Fire district had elections to include $1.3 million dollar spending in the proposed 2018 budget. Only 100 people in all of Lakewood voted to approve it. In a town of 150,000 residents all you need is a fraction to vote on a million dollar tax increase.
The district called the result overwhelming on its website:
The Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners held a Special Meeting (Election) on December 5, 2017 from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at the Fire District Administrative Offices on 316 River
Avenue. The result of this Special Meeting (Election) was overwhelming approval by the voters to include four capital improvement projects in the 2018 Budget, which budget will ultimately be voted upon at the Fire District Election on February 17, 2018, by the legal voters within the
Township.
Despite all the building and new construction the taxes only keep going up and up. Its time to think about incorporating the fire district and many other township commissions that each have its own director, lawyers, commissioners drawing fat salaries bilking the hard working tax payers of lakewood.