It’s no doubt the most important issue facing Washington Township voters is property taxes. As the general election nears, voters need to take a hard look at the "tax and spend" records of Ken Short and Bill Roehrich who have served on our Township Committee and District School Board, respectively since 2001.Back in 2001, when Ken and Bill began their service, the total annual property tax levy for Washington Township was $40.3 million. It now stands at $64.4 million, an increase of $24.1 million in just 9 years.
As a committeeman, Ken Short voted 9 times to increase our annual tax levies by $4.1 million; Committeeman and ex-board of education member Bill Roehrich voted 6 times to tack on a whopping $8.6 million. Together their 15 votes account for $12.7 million, more than half the $24.1 million increase in our property tax bills since 2001.
So, the next time a local Republican tries to blame Trenton for our high property taxes, tell them the problem is much closer to home and that Einstein got it right!
In full disclosure, during my entire 3 year term, I cast two votes that accounted for an increase of $874 thousand to our annual property tax levy. For this Ken Short stated I was "no friend of the taxpayer" in an October 2008 letter to the OT. Implicitly, this accusation must mean he and Bill are friends of the taxpayer.
If Ken and Bill are our "friends", it's hard to imagine having enemies!
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