Letters

We’ve all heard the expression “A monkey on my back.” Well, that monkey has grown into a gorilla. That gorilla is my property tax, and it’s a burden that is unreasonable. I’m willing to do my share for the community, but I want it to be a fair share.

For example, I pay approximately 10 percent of my salary to fund primary and secondary education, while at the same time many people pay only 1-3 percent of their salaries for the same purpose. Is that fair? Of course not.

There is of course, a sensible, fair way of taxing that I learned about when I attended the Middlesex County Fair. I saw the stuffed-toy gorilla on display, along with literature explaining this novel tax method to fund education that would reduce property taxes by approximately 60 percent. The idea was being presented by Frank Coury, who is a candidate for the state Assembly.

The method simply would dedicate property taxes for only municipal and county costs. It would also dedicate a flat 5-percent state income tax to fund primary and secondary education. Money collected by the state would be passed on to school boards with no strings attached. A formula would be developed by the state Board of Education that would provide the same amount of money for all students.

The formula would exist for three years and would be reviewed one year before the time expires. That is what I understand from the literature that I received.

I like the idea. I could live with it. It would make me feel that I am contributing no more and no less than others with respect to the percent of my salary being taxed. I feel obligated to pay my property tax to take care of the municipal and county costs associated with the services my home is receiving. I don’t believe that being a homeowner is in any way indicative of one’s ability to pay taxes for social needs.

A more reliable indication of one’s ability to pay taxes is income. A homeowner could be a retired individual on a fixed income, while at the same time school costs are increasing. A homeowner could be unemployed for one reason or another, while at the same time school costs are increasing.

Looking at my situation, I’m convinced that the dedicated-tax system would help me now and would also provide some measure of security for the future when I retire. Who knows what the cost for education will be 10-20 years from now? It increased from $1.1 billion to $17.5 billion from 1968 to the present. I understand it will increase to $20 billion next year.

You do the math and make a decision who to vote for in November.

Jim Mihopulos

East Brunswick

Electing GOP removes one of councilwoman’s pensions

Earlier this year the print media exposed severe abuses within New Jersey’s public-employee pension system. One abuse is public employees qualifying for publicly funded pensions by holding more than one public job. This abuse was primarily the realm of attorneys acting as counsel to multiple municipalities and acquiring pension credits from all.

This abuse is not limited to attorneys. Monroe has its own pension-plan abuser. It is none other than Joanne Connolly, Township Council president. Ms. Connolly, a Democrat, is retired from the Monroe Township Board of Education — pension No. 1. She is currently employed by Middlesex County — pension No. 2. She also qualifies for a pension as an elected official — pension No. 3.

For years people railed against inner-city women who milked the welfare system for every penny that they could get. They were called “welfare queens” for driving expensive cars even though they lived in public housing.

Is Joanne Connolly any different? She’s not a “welfare queen,” but definitely a “pension queen,” milking the system for every penny that she can get.

It is time to retire Ms. Connolly from pension plan No. 3.

Elect Carlos Lopez to the Monroe Township Council from Ward 3 and Stephen Williams from Ward 2.

Harold V. Kane

Monroe

Connolly, council members attuned to concerns of families

One person in the Monroe community who I believe deserves praise for being a leader is Councilwoman Joanne Connolly. She has helped establish a community center that is outstanding. She is a leading advocate for children. As a retired teacher, she knows the importance of a good education, and she knows that our kids need education and recreation. She has been at the forefront of efforts to expand recreational and community opportunities for our children.

I hope that some of our newer families in Monroe come to recognize that Joanne Connolly and her council colleagues have made Monroe a very special place for children and families.

The council has paid close attention to the concerns of families and will continue to do so if Joanne Connolly, Hank Miller and Jerry Tamburo are re-elected in November.

Ellen Scarpari

Monroe