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It is truly an honor for me to be named the President
of the New Jersey Conference of Mayors for 2008 –
2009. I want to personally thank our outgoing
President Malcolm Fraser of Cape May Point for his
leadership and wisdom over the past several months and
wish him and his wife Joan a wonderful retirement and
beautiful sunsets in Cape May Point for many years to
come.
Our recently completed 45th Annual
Conference was very successful and we were pleased to
have our Governor, Jon S. Corzine and Mayor Michael
Nutter of Philadelphia, Pa. address our Mayors and
Guests at the Opening Luncheon. It is no surprise
that the main topic was the economy in our State and
Nation and its impact on municipal government. The
proposed 2008 State Budget will create significant
challenges for all Mayors as we work to deliver
quality services to our residents and control costs.
American Author and Publisher, William Feather once
said, “A budget tells us what we can’t afford, but it
doesn’t keep us from buying it”. This may reflect
what has been the case in the past in New Jersey
Government but there is a resolve in Trenton that it
won’t be the case going forward. As Mayors, we know
that such resolve has always been in place on the
municipal level where we did not spend what we didn’t
have and actually balance our municipal spending
plans. Maybe the time has come where the State will
follow our lead? We hear the calls to reduce State
spending, only to hear even louder outcries from
special interest groups as they react to the proposed
State plan. The Budget could mean potentially deep
cuts in State spending for programs and services.
But, the effects will NOT only be for State
Programs – every municipality in New Jersey will feel
the effects of these changes in how the State handles
our money. Every municipality, especially those under
10,000 population will face harsh realities of what it
will mean to lose significant state aid. The effects
of these proposed reductions will impact our
communities and taxpayers for years to come. While
we, as Mayors, accept the challenges put forth by the
Governor, we have been and will remain vocal in our
collective opposition to certain aspects of the
proposed Budget. It is critical that any reductions
in Aid be applied fairly and equitably. They should
be tied to efficiencies and not rely on some arbitrary
population number. The Mayors of New Jersey will work
with the Governor to find a balanced solution to the
fiscal problems facing our State. As your President,
I promise to work extremely hard to foster an
environment that encourages our Mayors to collaborate
like never before on the issues that we face.
As the New Jersey Conference of Mayors celebrates it
45th Anniversary, let us pledge to “raise
the bar” on what it means to be a member of our
Organization. Let’s embrace what the founding group
of Mayors recognized in 1963 – that as “front-line”
soldiers for our communities, we are interesting in
adopting best practices and find common ground on
issues that impact our residents. My goals for the
upcoming year are to launch a Mayors Governing
Institute. This will serve as a forum for ideas and
an open discussion of issues and development of
solutions. It will become a central resource for
information and referrals on issues that we face every
day. The Mayors Institute will cater to one
special interest – Better Municipal Government.
The New Jersey Conference of Mayors will work to
improve the value of your membership. We will work to
earn your support. I will do all in my power to help
the Conference help you, as together we lead our
Municipalities through this new threshold and confront
the challenges in a united way.
So, in 2008, we find ourselves at a threshold --- A
doorway to a new and challenging path. Let us join
together to embark on a year of ideas and solutions
and make the New Jersey Conference of Mayors the
Organization voice of our tax weary citizens and their
municipal leaders ---- The Mayors of New Jersey. |
