Politics & Government

Hopatcong's State Aid Stays Flat for 2012

Borough to receive $953,270, or as much as it did in 2011.

Hopatcong will receive the same amount of state aid in 2012 that it got in 2011, according to figures released by the Department of Community Affairs Thursday.

The borough is slated receive $953,270 of about $1.5 billion to be dispersed throughout New Jersey.

Mayor Sylvia Petillo and Borough Administrator Bob Elia weren't immediately available for comment Thursday afternoon. The borough said Chief Financial Officer Kelleyanne McGann was on vacation Thursday.

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"No town in the state will see a decrease in formula municipal aid for the upcoming year. This stable funding—coupled with such reforms as the 2-percent property tax cap, pension and health benefit reform and a 2-percent cap on interest arbitration awards—is driving down the cost of local government and controlling the property tax problem,” Christie said in a statement. "These steps are having a real impact in delivering budget relief to municipalities and finally bringing the property tax problem under control for our families. We still have further to go and I urge the legislature to continue working with me to act on reforms that will have a real impact—including ending payouts for unused sick days, promoting shared services and consolidation and enacting civil service reform and the remaining tool kit items that have been stalled."

The amount was fourth-highest in Sussex County, behind Vernon ($2,262,666), Sparta ($1,293,225) and Newton ($1,025,916).

Find out what's happening in Hopatcong-Spartawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Just as we are continuing to advance reforms to deliver sustainable, long-term property tax relief, we urge local governments to continue finding ways to operate more efficiently and reduce costs through the implementation of Best Practices. Over the last two years, this administration has proven that it is possible to work with municipalities to affect real change on how taxpayer dollars are spent by using Best Practices," DCA Acting Commissioner Richard E. Constable III said in a statement. "We will continue to work with local governments in their efforts to maintain fiscal constraint while funding key programs and services."

The announcement comes two days after Gov. Chris Christie's state budget address.

He also announced New Jersey public schools would receive $200 million more in state aid in 2012 than in 2011. Those figures have yet to be released.


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