In the News - Public Safety

Posted by M Paradis

July 31, 2008

Towns face charges for services of state cops

By LISA G. RYAN
Gannett State Bureau

Towns that depend on the New Jersey State Police for all or part of their police protection received letters this week indicating how much they’ll have to pay the state if they want to keep the service.

The 89 towns affected — mostly rural, lightly populated communities — have received the police service fee-free since the 1920s, when the State Police was created primarily to patrol rural areas.

Under the state budget adopted last month, the towns must now contribute $12.6 million toward the overall $80 million cost of the rural patrols. Gov. Jon S. Corzine has described the fees as a way to ensure towns are equitably sharing costs for services.

But critics, including local officials and some South Jersey legislators, blasted the billing move. They said Corzine neglected to consult with municipal leaders and that the governor was treating rural communities unfairly.

“There was no open discussion about this,” said Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego, R-Burlington. “The administration simply mailed out a bill demanding payment, or police protection will cease.” State Sen. Philip E. Haines, R-Burlington, noted Corzine’s original budget plan called for Camden to contribute $800,000 for its State Police service, but that fee later was dropped.

“If rural communities must pay for state police services, then so too should large cities,” said Haines.

The billing information went to 15 towns in Burlington County and one, South Harrison, in Gloucester County.

Southampton faces the largest potential payment — about $515,000. Four towns — Hainesport, Mansfield, Shamong and Tabernacle — would each pay more than $200,000.

Corzine originally proposed charging a statewide total of $20 million. He trimmed that amount to ensure that municipal payments for full-time service won’t result in more than a $100 increase per household over 2007 average residential property taxes. Home property tax increases would be capped at $71 in towns getting part-time service.

The state Department of the Treasury posted a list on its Web site Wednesday of potential charges for affected municipalities.

Towns have until Dec. 15 to decide whether to stay with the State Police or find other police protection.

“One of the reasons these things were set up was so that people could plan ahead and also maybe take alternative routes,” Corzine said. “Maybe they don’t need to go that route, they want to go another.”

Sen. Jeff Van Drew, D-Cape May, called the letters sent to towns disturbing.

“The reason I’m so aggravated is our whole vision and focus is to supposedly minimize property taxes, and this isn’t accomplishing that,” Van Drew said.

Earlier this month, Buena Vista and six other towns filed complaints with the state Council on Local Mandates. Since then, other towns have followed suit. They claim the state Police patrol fees violate the “state mandate, state pay” amendment to the state Constitution. The League of Municipalities plans to file a brief in support of the towns, said William Dressel Jr., the executive director.

Corzine said he is trying to be fair for all New Jersey residents.

“There are other people that are already paying for their law enforcement and public safety,” the governor said. “I’m pledged to make sure we work through these issues so that we’re sensitive to needs, but these charges have to be paid for and somebody’s getting the benefit of those charges.”

Ninety-six percent of the state’s population pays for their own town’s police service as well as service for the state’s rural communities, said Tom Bell, a Treasury Department spokesman. He said charges for State Police patrols would average $39 per person in the rural towns, whereas people living in municipalities that have their own police department pay an average $328 per capita for police protection.

“We think the way we’ve gone about this is more than fair,” Bell said.

Staff writer Jim Walsh contributed to this report. Reach Lisa G. Ryan at lgryan@gannett.com