Republicans, Democrats Butt Heads Over Local Budget Surplus

An otherwise-uneventful municipal budget hearing turned into a brief, heated political battle over a $14 million surplus, when Cherry Hill Republican candidates attacked the all-Democratic council over the issue Thursday night.

Republican council candidates Stephen Cohen and John Galie raised the issue of the surplus, $5 million of which is going to fund the 2014 fiscal year budget, first questioning whether there was a shortfall, then going on the offensive against the Democrats, advocating the surplus be wiped out and given back to property owners in the form of tax relief.

“You've got $44 million you're asking us to pay in taxes, and you're ending up with $14 million in surplus,” Galie said. “I think that's excessive.”

But township business administrator Lenore Rosner pointed out the surplus is there to protect the township in the case of an emergency, and there's an established precedent for moving money from there to fund the budget.

“Having surplus is actually a good thing,” Rosner said, noting the township had depleted it in years past. “We don't know what our fund balance is going to be at the end of the year.”

Galie railed against it to council members all the same, claiming the surplus amounts to overtaxing, despite the fact the $64.7 million budget keeps taxes flat as compared to last year.

Council President David Fleisher defended the budgeting process, noting the Christie administration—in reality, the state Department of Community Affairs—gave the OK on the budget Cherry Hill sent up to Trenton, as well.

“If we weren't comfortable with the budget, the mayor would not have presented it to council, and we would not be here supporting it,” Fleisher said.

Galie deflected from that, sticking with his assertion the surplus is excessive.

“I'm not questioning the methodology, I'm questioning the amount,” he said. “I'm not comfortable with it.”

Despite the Republican protests, the final version of the township's budget passed on a unanimous vote, as the Democrats hailed it as a victory for the township and a sign of stable financial ground.

Though it cuts $542,000 from last year's budget, much of that is in debt service; the budget still puts up $3.45 million for road improvement projects, $2 million for sewer upgrades and $570,000 for parks and recreation facilities.

The savings comes from conservative budgeting and innovative thinking, Mayor Chuck Cahn said.

“This budget continues to give Cherry Hill taxpayers responsible and efficient government,” he said. “We have kept taxes stable and reduced government spending, while continuing to provide a high level of programs and services.”