Committeewoman Ellen Steinberg from Millburn said it all - simply punch in equally appalling numbers for Summit and Union County, and she argued our case more eloquently than I am able to. But I have more to Concerning Union County: Give us the animal control facility we've been waiting for. Set formal pricing policies at compost facilities so we can budget appropriately. Don't give us another feel-good music fest. We don't feel any better when we see the bill. And the fees and unfunded mandates just keep piling up. Another $3 per ton on top of exhorbitant tipping fees to fund recycling education ... and some give-back (again, through the county!) in terms of aid? It's simply not smart. It is not possible at present to determine how much waste is tipped by whom. Haulers go from muni to muni, filling trucks as they go with no way to know how much to allocate to whom. And so it's a game of guesswork to determine accurate levels of aid. Courtroom costs? In addition to the security equipment we have been forced to purchase, we must now man Summit's very busy muni court by armed officers. Our courtroom has immediate access to our fully staffed police department. Taking officers from their regular duties for days at a time is done at the expense and safety of our residents. Who then have to pay for it. Diane S. Klaif
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