This op ed submission is from Montclair councilor Cary Africk.
Today’s headline in the New York Times tells of 95,000 people who lost their jobs. In September alone. The paper notes this was far more than expected.
Some of those who lost jobs are Montclair residents. For all of us “it’s the economy” that monopolizes conversation. That includes taxes.
I’m out and about the streets of Montclair most days. I talk to many people. More than a few work on Wall Street. They are not poor. They live in the “average“ Montclair home What with kids in college, jobs lost or salaries dramatically cut, they are living on the edge.
Other friends are teachers, and small business owners in town. Again and again it’s about taxes.
And I get emails by the dozens, every day. One of them says the whole story. It was from a couple. They had lived in Montclair for many years, but could no longer afford Montclair so they moved to Madison. They loved Montclair and hated to leave.
They wrote that what they missed most about Montclair was “the people.” Montclair for them meant conversation, dinners and visits with friends, the Museum. The Culture of Montclair.
During the course of budget discussions, which I entered into seriously during the first quarter of 2010, and in broader strokes the end of 2009, I would hear again and again that although we had to “cut” the budget, we couldn’t cut “too much.” That we needed to preserve “the essence of Montclair.”
And at an early point in our budget discussions some just stopped talking about “cuts” saying the essence of Montclair was in danger. Further cuts would make the town “unrecognizable.”
But for me the town losing people like that couple that moved to Madison is what makes our town “unrecognizable.” They are the essence. And they moved because they couldn’t afford to live here.
Overworked people all over the country are having to prioritize more sharply than ever before. Assumptions about the “essence” of Montclair must be re-visited and perhaps revised.
The need to pass a 2010 budget did not materialize out of the blue in October. Only a revisionist history would show I wasn’t involved since the beginning. With suggestions.
Indeed on August 17th, 2010 I walked out of a Council meeting in protest when that meeting went on and on about a “Rails to Trails” project, ignoring budget discussion and reality.
This past Monday I attended a Board of Education meeting. The Board has laid down the rules: it’s no longer “business as usual.” They have recognized that we are in a crisis. And they have responded. They have formed committees to study programs, and finances. In some areas, such as Special Ed, they have gone out and hired expertise. They expect to save over $3MM in Special Ed, while delivering superior service and obtaining better outcomes.
And they are going over their budget with a fine tooth comb. On Monday, one member of the Board refused to “let go” of an $85,000 expenditure for outside services. She went on about how we “had to find a way to do this in-house.”
But while the Board continues its cost cutting work, some in the Council threw up their hands months ago saying nothing can be done and this week they said my $200,000 suggestions were no good.
We must continue to try our best. As far as blaming the prior Manager for our current situation, or blaming the Governor, or blaming me, it’s a waste of time. In fact, I propose that excuses should have an “expiration date.” The prior manager excuse expired a long time ago.
No one cares about excuses. We just need to do the job that we are faced with. That’s what responsible executives do.
And I am asking for commitment moving forward.
We need a plan to commit to. Now. And we need to take some of the available money from the Sewer Connection fee, and possibly the sale of the Label Street property, and put into the budget for this year. Some say “we can’t use the money for that purpose.” Nonsense. If it were for an Intergeneration Recreation Center, or for another Police Parking Lot it would be done in a heartbeat.
The people who moved to Madison didn’t pick up and go because Montclair didn’t have an electric car charging station, or rails to trails bike paths. They moved because they couldn’t pay their bills.
Let’s help them.
Cary Africk
2nd Ward Councilor
People move out. It happens all the time for all kinds of reasons.
And people move in.
The town cannot, nor should it, have as a policy keeping here all the exact same people who are here now.
What is becoming a problem is that in order to get people to buy, move in and assume the burden of the highest property taxes in the universe every quarter going forward the people moving out have to cut their asking prices.
For most of us, our homes represent our single largest financial asset. And what these regular, exorbitant property tax increases represent is a destruction of the value of that asset.
Cary is doing a great job and he has my support. But I fear he is missing the point when he grouses that people are moving out. That would only be a crisis if NO ONE were moving in. And yet, some still do.
The idea that Montclair is SO special that living here is some kind of birthright is indicative of the kind of clouded thinking that is getting in the way of solving the town’s SPENDING problem.
Montclair SPENDS TOO much for what it delivers. To spend that much, it taxes more than many who live here can afford to pay. There may be others who can afford to pay that much and who don’t mind getting what Montclair delivers.
I just worry I won’t be able to find any to buy my house.
…on August 17th, 2010 I walked out of a Council meeting in protest when that meeting went on and on about a “Rails to Trails” project, ignoring budget discussion and reality.
Although I would rather Cary had walked out of a meeting in January 2010, say, or December 2009, or Dec. 2008 for that matter, this statement captures the sense of unreality that has surrounded the deliberations of our town leaders ever since the economic collapse two years ago–a downright weird inability to see the brick wall we are so plainly headed for.
More than one home in my “prime” walk-to-train neighborhood has gone unsold on the GSMLS recently. No one wants to move into my neighborhood except the homeless woman the town relocated here about 2 weeks ago. That about says it all.
Atlas is Shrugging!
With all due respect, Mr. Africk, if you spent half as much time coming up with workable solutions to the budget as you do wringing your hands on various blogs and walking out of meetings, we would have had a budget passed long before now.
You want a commitment. You want pledges. Well, I want a budget. It’s October for Pete’s sake.
If you want us to have faith in you as a candidate for mayor (and I’m assuming that that’s what all this posturing is about), then stop asking for commitments and pledges and do something. That’s what leaders do. They stay in meetings, they compromise, they build alliances. Saying no will only get you so far. If you guys can’t pass a budget and the town has to start paying penalties for not having passed a budget there is NO WAY I will vote for you, as much as I admire your empathy for the people of the town.
PLEASE GET THE BUDGET PASSED! You’re counting on us to support you, but we’re REALLY counting on you.
“You want a commitment. You want pledges. Well, I want a budget. It’s October for Pete’s sake.”
Well I want a reasonable budget for 2011 and at this point the only way to get it is to hold the 2010 budget hostage. Think of it like when Clinton shut down the federal government. So I think Cary is doing just the right thing. Commit to zero growth or no 2010 budget I say.
ROC, what about the fines the state threatens to impose? Not the ones against the council members personally, but against the town itself?
what fines are those?
Holy crap! Everybody please note the date and time:
OCTOBER 08, 2010 @ 9:02 PM
I hereby propose to leave a virtual historical plaque in this thread, stating “On October 8th, 2010, at approximately 9:00 pm, Mr. Right of Center — in seeming violation of the very laws of the universe itself — pronounced, ‘So I think Cary is doing just the right thing.’”
/jeez, I had to rub my eyes and pinch myself when I read that in order to regain touch with reality.
(stupid gravatar will not let me register “appletony”)
The first sentence: “Today’s headline in the New York Times tells of 95,000 people who lost their jobs. In September alone.”
The reason for the decline in the job market is simply all of the foreign products being sold here, at the loss of manufacturing jobs here, and it goes way beyond just “manufacturing”! It affects advertising & marketing, as well as many other industries. Just follow the money trail!
We have lost all manufacturing of communations, be it T.V. & radio brands as well as computers, clothing manufacturing & design and many other industries.
Cars? Our Domestic Brands are down to just 8. Gone are Plymouth, Imperial, Oldsmobile, Saturn, Mercury and Pontiac! Soon there will no American Brands, just like now it’s impossible to find clothing made in the USA. For years people were saying “Buy American” – Others laughed at it !!
Ha Ha Ha. Now they are not laughing, they are selling their homes, because they cannot afford them any longer, because raises are not being given out, and many are being laid off or fired. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, things in Japan and China are booming!
THINK ABOUT WHERE YOUR MONEY TRAIL GOES. Keep Americans employed and our economic situation will improve. Probably will take a decade. It took 20 years to wreck it. Read labels to see where it was made.
“They” don’t want you to do that.
The largest boat at sea comes from China. It docks in N.Y. It takes a crew of 18 to unload all of the products, and it takes 10 days to do that.
Then in sets sail for home, China…..EMPTY ! It takes nothing back !!!
China’s version of “Fair Trade” Is it yours, too?
WE the people have the power to make things right, again. The ball is in our court.
Cary has done a good job – he’s been pushing the council & acting more as a representative of our town’s interest than nearly anyone else on the council.
Unfortunately he’s only one person. Where’s the rest of the council?
Why is it so difficult for the Mayor & etc to even begin to address any suggest that Cary (and others) have put forward?
Why does the council continue to waste its precious meeting time with Other Things? Why have they pushed the budget discussion off for an entire year?
Can’t put all the negative stuff at Cary’s feet. More pressure needs to be put on the rest of the council. Instead of railing against stuff here, why not put that energy into a phone call or letter or email to Mr. Mayor & the rest of the council?
If everyone who leaves comments here on a daily (& more) basis, called & emailed the council members as often, we might be able bring more pressure to bear on the council. All we’re doing here is talking to ourselves.
Send emails to the council. Everyday. Twice a day. Do that first and then comment here.
Let’s stop talking to ourselves & talk to THEM.
I have sent emails and I have called. I have gotten respectful responses from ‘Murnick, Africk and Baskerville. The others are very defensive and snippy and have concluded they are doing the best they can and those of us who complain don’t understand.
Sadly Jerseygurl, that’s exactly what I get as well.
“No one cares about excuses. We just need to do the job that we are faced with. That’s what responsible executives do.”
What a remarkable and innovative idea! I am amazed that none of the local politicos seems to be able to embrace that concept. Perhaps it is the word “responsible” that keeps getting in the way. Unfortunately, making excuses is the way of the world today. “I didn’t do it, and even if I did, I didn’t mean it, and even if I did, it was partially the other guy’s fault, and even if it wasn’t, I don’t want to be punished.”
Off with their heads!
I wonder what the Mayor thinks of China now. Perhaps the Mayor can go back there to teach them the values of freedom and democracy.
How quickly would a Baristanet be shutdown in China?
I have to agree with the poster who suggested Cary is posturing in advance of a run for mayor. I admire Cary for his dedication, but think he has shown a megalomaniacal streak in recent months. I just can’t picture how he will ever work well with other people. That’s necessary to do the job he has as well as to succeed in the job he (perhaps) seeks. I urge Cary to think about the impression he is making right now when he considers his political future.