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Unfunded state mandates burden municipalities
PAM BRIGHTBILL Guest Column
As the deputy mayor of Middletown and a taxpayer, I was dismayed to read yet another letter from the chairman of the Young Democrats of Monmouth County lobbying for more government-subsidized housing to be built in Middletown.

It is apparent that the writer does not comprehend the degradation to the environmentand theenorm financial cost to the taxpayers that result from this program.

It is no secret that New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country. Part of the problem is the many costly programs underwritten by the state and funded by the taxpayers.

One of these is the affordable housing program. Gov. Corzine has said that he wants to see over 100,000 affordable housing units built in the state, although other estimates put the total at nearly 10 times that number.

Each unit costs the taxpayers $160,000 to subsidize, for a staggering total of $16 billion.

As many residents have told me, they are having a difficult enough time paying for their own home, no less subsidizing the housing of others.

Then there is the toll on the environment. Affordable housing means severely increased housing densities, which results in the elimination of open space to accommodate escalating numbers of units to meet the state's demands. This puts additional strains on our roads, schools and municipal infrastructure.

I am a firm believer that the way to make New Jersey more affordable for all homeowners is to cut property taxes. The only way to do this is to decrease the size of state government and to remove the burden placed on towns like Middletown by expensive, cumbersome unfunded mandates like affordable housing.

It is frustrating as a local official to be eternally vigilant in keeping spending to a minimum in the township, only to incur the exorbitant costs of unfunded, state-mandated programs like affordable housing. It is imperative that we make our voices heard if we want permanent property tax relief for all and an end to costly government programs.
Pam Brightbill
Deputy Mayor
Middletown Township