Use of consultant similar to Corzine's expensive studies
I t seems as if the Middletown Democrats have taken a page from the playbook of Gov. Jon Corzine and the state Democrats. A recent proposal by Middletown Committeeman Sean Byrnes to hire a consultant to examine Middletown's budget and operations is eerily similar to the governor's penchant for commissioning expensive studies needlessly. In these times of shrinking municipal aid, rising energy costs, union contract increases and exorbitant state pension and unfunded mandate costs, it is ridiculous to make a suggestion that would be so costly and do nothing for the township.

At a recent meeting, Mr. Byrnes admitted that hiring a consultant would be very expensive, perhaps costing several hundred thousand dollars, and the study may come back and only say that "the township is doing well." Frankly, I do not think it is wise to spend that many taxpayer dollars to hear that the township is being well run.

At another meeting, when told by the deputy mayor that the municipal budget is very complex, Mr. Byrnes also commented that he does not have the time to put into it that the mayor and deputy mayor have. (Did he not realize at the time he was running for Township Committee that there was more to the job than sitting at Township Committee meetings?) This is particularly disconcerting, since it appears that Mr. Byrnes wants the taxpayers to pay for work that he himself should be doing. As the mayor and deputy mayor have pointed out, the municipal budget and township operations are already reviewed by the CFO, township administrator, and township committee, along with the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young, Moody's Investor Services and Standard & Poor's. In addition, the state also reviews the municipal budget.

One wonders, then, why there would be a need to pay for something that had already been done several times before. I would rather Mr. Byrnes look for ways to stop the governor from heaping more and more costly programs on the taxpayers, which are costing us billions and driving up our property taxes.
Lawrence Nelsen
Leonardo section of
Middletown