ASBURY PARK The city has learned it will receive $11,750,000 in state
transitional aid -- the extra money the state Department of Community Affairs
funnels to distressed cities each year.
Gov. Chris Christie required municipalities to go through a fairly rigorous
application process this year and Asbury Park appeared to meet or exceed some
of the requirements to show the city's need, demonstrate what Asbury is doing
for itself, and meaningful proposals to regionalize services, city officials
said.
The city can now adopt its 2010 budget of $40 million, possibly at its Oct. 6
meeting. Asbury Park asked the state for $14 million. Last year, it received
$10.5 million, the year before $12 million. DCA notified City Manager Terence
Reidy Thursday night.
"I think it speaks to the progress we're making in Asbury Park,'' said Mayor Ed
Johnson Friday morning. "We have a brand new governor, we have economic
challenges around the state, funding is limited and I think this is definitely
a vote of confidence in Asbury Park, not just the government, but the community
itself.''
"This aid gets us to the 2-yard line on the overall impact on the tax rate,''
Reidy said. "What I'll be doing over the next couple of days with the finance
director is to work our way back through the budget and bring a recommendation
to the governing body.''
The city was looking at a $12.2 million shortfall on the budget. The new aid
does not cover an arbitration award of about $700,000 to pay raises the past
three years that police have won. City municipal workers and firefighters have
not received raises during that time.
DCA officials could not be reached for comment Friday morning but it appeared
they have not yet released the transitional aid figures for all towns.
Reidy said the application process held all municipalities to a higher standard
for receiving the aid this year.
"Asbury Park was able to show the need, that goes without saying,'' he said.
"Even more importantly, we were able to demonstrate we have been taking very,
very bold and effective measures to close the gap, lower our overhead and
increase our revenues.''
Some examples of Asbury Park doing better at helping itself include the
increase in beach revenue from $35,000 seven years ago to $750,000 this past
summer, Reidy said.
And, in putting in new parking meters on the beachfront last year, the city
went from no revenue for parking to $270,000 last year and $370,000 so far this
year.
Like many other towns, Asbury Park laid off some of its work force. People
retiring are not being replaced.
Reidy said he requested in the application process to work with the governor
and DCA Commissioner Lori Grifa to use Monmouth County as a model on how to
regionalize services.
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