From 2005 data supplied by DCA, I ranked all the towns in the state by per capita spending. The 15 towns with the lowest per capita spending ALL were towns under 10,000 people. Of the 20 towns with the lowest per capita spending, 19 were towns under 10,000; of the lowest 30, 27 were under 10,000; of the lowest 100, 72 were towns with under 10,000 people. My town, Eastampton (population 6,700), is ranked 46th lowest per capita spending AND we have a full time 24/7 police department. Towns with populations between 5,000 and 10,000 spend on average $1143 per person about $80 less than the state average of $1221. (Eastampton spends $642 per person.) Towns over 30,000 people spend $1264 or about $40 MORE than the state average. FYI Bayonne, the town in which Joe Doria, DCA Commissioner, is the former mayor, spends about $500 per person MORE than the state average. Where is the Governor's data showing towns under 10,000 are inefficient? All small towns are asking for is a level playing field in these aid cuts. Treat all residents of NJ equally, regardless of the size of the towns in which the live. Mayor Rich Renzulli
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