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What $300,000 of Tax Dollars Will Buy

In the standard mumbo-jumbo language of bond ordinance, Red Bank Borough is about to spend a lot of your money on Wednesday July 10, 2013.  $600,000 over 15 years, to be exact.  Half of that sum is the subject of this post.  So, roughly, that’s the property taxes from 50 households for a decade and a half - for one item.  

If it were a new fire truck or some other capital expenditure where we had little or no other choice, maybe you would swallow hard and say okay.  But the problem is this: we might be able to accomplish the same goal in a more environmentally friendly manner filled with education opportunities, and spend a fraction of that amount.  

“What?” you say. “Why isn't our leadership pursuing this Plan B further?” you cry out loud while shaking your head in disbelief.  Exactly - yell out loud and shake that noggin a little harder.  Nope, not enough - louder and faster still.  There, that’s better.  

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The bond is to replace the bulkheads at two locations - the Public Library and North Prospect Avenue.  At one of those locations, the Public Library, there exists a credible proposal to instead install a living shoreline.  The American Littoral Society, along with other local environmental groups and individuals, have completed a lot of legwork to that end.  And there is a good chance that the living shoreline can be funded in large part by existing grants, including potential private dollars.

Problem is, we can’t even get to that stage to see what’s available.  Essentially, our local government won’t allow it to get to that point - where we have full proposal and site plan to present in grant applications.  In a procedural farce wearing the veil of a public meeting on the topic last year, the Borough arrived not ready to listen, discuss, and reason, but rather with the pre-scripted message to buzz off, your government knows best - trust us.    

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This post isn't about debating the merits of living shoreline compared to a bulkhead.  Objectively, it is pretty clear the former wins that debate.  Rather, this is about a representative government that is not heeding its residents nor completing its due diligence.  

A laundry list of objections have been debunked by educating our administration. One remaining objection, relating to a single word in the property deed restriction about maintaining a “bulkhead,” is a credible challenge.  But from consultations I've had, hardly an insurmountable one.  Certainly not worthy of folding your poker hand this early in the game.  For the stakes involved, we should be playing on.        

Mayor and Council - with all due respect, where are you?  Why the disappearing act on this one?  

As for the rest of us, we should remember, you can fight City Hall.  In particular, this Wednesday July 10th at 6:30 p.m. in our Council Chambers.  


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