In just about a month from now HanoverTownship will chose a new mayor and deputy mayor to lead us in 2010. Our current mayor, Len Fariello, defeated in the Republican primary election, will leave office as of midnight December 31 and we thank him for his service – short term as it was.
Hanover, it is not too early to begin thinking about 2010 and the direction we want our town to go in both economically and politically.
This past year you all saw an amazing change in the attitude of the Township Committee and with the election of Committeeman Elect, John Ferramosca, it seems to have solidified.Hanover traditionally fought to turn away developers and to add to its ever growing open space program. We were on a dangerous path that I had always warned would cost the taxpayers of Hanover dearly at some point and we now may be at that point.As I have said many times in the past, we cannot return Hanover to dirt roads and tee pee’s.
The change that I refer to is the 180 degree turn that many of my past colleagues on the township committee are now adopting. What is that? That is, an aggressive open door policy, spearheaded by Committeeman Sheridan, to attract new and significant rateables to HanoverTownship. This in the shadows of lost tax income and no inviting prospects on the horizon.
The phrase is: “He who hesitates is lost,” works well here.After years of neglect it is impossible for Hanover to recover from its lost rateables, instantly - Won’t happen.It will take us years to replace those that have left or are leaving and those that will be allowed to develop. The present economic conditions throughout the nation only serve to exacerbate the problem.In the mean time we residential taxpayers become the principle source of revenue to support our services here in Hanover.
For years, properties like the 40acres of Berlex on Hanover and Ridgedale Avenue’s, FMI on Horsehill Road, the Whippany Paperboard property of some 88 acres, Lucent’s 200 acres, the Red Bulls soccer club headquarters and host of other generous income opportunities have sat and will continue to sit on the shelf pending a more advantageous economic climate. Those who helped to keep them on the shelf can now be proud of they believe they accomplished. That being said, we cannot stand by and moan. We must actively encourage new corporate neighbors to come into Hanover and we must act now.
There is no denying that in 2010 we will have to absorb more of the shift from our corporate taxpayers to we residential taxpayers and incur higher property taxes if we are to find the money to pave our roads, update our used sanitation and public works equipment, as well as maintain our library, department of public safety and upgrade if not add to, our recreational facilities for our children.
The Hanover Township Committee has to set attainable goals for 2010. We cannot let our annual budget session drive our needs as it always has in the past.We must prioritize our fundamental and long term needs and like administrations of the past, maintain a ‘cigar box’ plan to set money aside for these things. Then, sit at the budget session with those goals in mind and draft the financial blueprint that will make them possible.We owe it to our neighbors to lay out a plan that they can see materialize into reality – not rhetoric.One that will insure their comfort and safety I the days ahead.May I be one of the first to say a happy and healthy New Year to you all.
