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Post Info TOPIC: Solar Power should be part of Hammonton's plans


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Solar Power should be part of Hammonton's plans
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A story in the Atlantic City Press of 8/31 shows how Ocean City is tapping into solar energy to save the Town considerable amounts of money.

O.C. plans to tap sun for power next year

By BRIAN IANIERI Staff Writer, (609) 463-6713
(Published: August 31, 2007)

OCEAN CITY - The city received a $1.7 million rebate this month from the state Board of Public Utilities to run four buildings using solar power, a city official said.

In the next month, the city will solicit bids for solar panels to power - in part - the city-owned buildings, Business Administrator James Rutala said Thursday.

The solar panels are expected to generate about 540 kilowatts of power for the Cultural and Community Center, the Knight Public Works Building, the Vehicle Maintenance Center on Haven Avenue, and the Sports and Civic Center on Sixth Street, Rutala said.

The project will cost more than the $1.7 million allotted, Rutala said.

But he said private companies bidding for the project are eligible for potentially millions of dollars in federal tax credits and solar renewable energy credits, which Rutala said he expects to make up the difference.

The solar panels, which could be installed by next summer, would not power the buildings alone, Rutala said, meaning other sources of electricity would be necessary.

"It's a start, and it's a nice project to demonstrate for other municipalities and private businesses that solar power can be an alternative," Rutala said. "Certainly it'll have an advantage for us, and financially it should be a huge benefit for the city. Electric costs aren't going to get any cheaper."

Rutala said the city looked at solar power several years ago but did not want to foot the bill itself.

"This is a fairly large project for a municipality," he said.

Ocean City is not the only local municipality to consider looking to the sun for ways to power their municipal buildings, as the desire for more environmentally friendly - and potentially less expensive - energy has grown.

In West Cape May, officials received $50,000 from Cape May County earlier this year for municipal improvements. The borough, which has a population of 1,007, is using that money to place solar panels on the roof of Borough Hall.

In 2006, the Margate Board of Education installed solar panels on the roofs of their schools.

Rutala said Ocean City will get a better idea of how much they can save on electricity bills using solar energy when bids for the project come back in November. Currently, he's expecting savings of as much as $100,000 per year, he said.

To e-mail Brian Ianieri at The Press:

BIanieri@pressofac.com

There is another story  on how a Solar project is being built in suburban Philadelphia.

We feel Hammonton should be researching the same type of options both short term and long term. Besides helping to reduce taxes for the residents it is also a responsible action towards reducing emmissions and helping to save our planet for our children and grandchildren. These projects should be thoroughly researched and be implemented if the return on investment warrants it.



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Anonymous

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there should be solar pannels on all municipal buildings and all schools.

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Anonymous

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Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?

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When Jim Mac Lane came on the board the design of building was already complete. The referendum was already done. We built the project on time and under budget with the plans that were already discussed and approved before we got there. And it is a building we can all be very proud of, a showcase of New Jersey.
Now that we know more about solar power, prices have come down in the last few years, and incentives and grants have been raised over the last few years, there is nothing stopping the current board from looking at retro fitting one of the schools if the return on investment warrants it. Maybe it should be part of the upgrades coming on the WES building.

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Anonymous

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Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?

Someone needs to do their homework!!


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Anonymous

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I'm sure everyone knows that the people who write and make those baseless accusations are not interested in doing their homework or portraying the truth. They continue to make these false accusations just to try and promote their own agendas no matter who they might hurt in doing it. One of them built a newspaper around those tactics. But now more and more people are realizing it and not buying into their rhetoric.

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?





Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!

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Anonymous

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Our property taxes went up out of neccessity.  Look around the country, Hammonton is not unique.  With increased non-funded educational mandates by Bush, and reduced federal education aid by the Republicans, that great tax cut the rich got in 2001 is turning out to be a tax shift, shifting taxes to local property taxes.  Bush and the Republicans are giving money back to the rich while forcing the working class to pay more in property taxes.

We need all Republicans out of office.  They are done.

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Our property taxes went up out of neccessity.  Look around the country, Hammonton is not unique.  With increased non-funded educational mandates by Bush, and reduced federal education aid by the Republicans, that great tax cut the rich got in 2001 is turning out to be a tax shift, shifting taxes to local property taxes.  Bush and the Republicans are giving money back to the rich while forcing the working class to pay more in property taxes.

We need all Republicans out of office.  They are done.



Nobody can keep taxes from going up.  The tax increases of the past should not be held against the Democrats or Republicans.  We need Democrats on council!

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Anonymous

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I don't know the the phrase "nobody can keep taxes down" is accurate.  Hammonton First did it two years in a row.

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Anonymous

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I don't know the the phrase "nobody can keep taxes down" is accurate.  Hammonton First did it two years in a row.With massive cuts in the municipal services that we all deserve, while wasting away thousands of dollars on witch hunts by trying the chief and setting up Lance, wasting thousands by the criminally and improperly mishandliing of asbestos to keep the contract within the family.

Too much waste, too many cuts in services, and where is the "Tax Cut" the republicans promised us?????

You guys are all dead beats, time for change, locally and nationally, time for Democratic control!


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Anonymous

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Good Point!!!

I know that my family won't be fooled again!!!!!!!!



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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

I don't know the the phrase "nobody can keep taxes down" is accurate.  Hammonton First did it two years in a row.With massive cuts in the municipal services that we all deserve, while wasting away thousands of dollars on witch hunts by trying the chief and setting up Lance, wasting thousands by the criminally and improperly mishandliing of asbestos to keep the contract within the family.

Too much waste, too many cuts in services, and where is the "Tax Cut" the republicans promised us?????

You guys are all dead beats, time for change, locally and nationally, time for Democratic control!




Jimmy Bertino and the Republicans made a lot of promises that they did not deliver on.  They are losers at all levels!



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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

I don't know the the phrase "nobody can keep taxes down" is accurate. Hammonton First did it two years in a row.




 The only way to ensure no tax increases is to eliminate all services.  The taxpayers on my street are doing their part to the Hammonton First idea of No Tax Increases by getting NO Services.  My road is bad and floods, we have dead trees down the road, and we don't have water and sewer.  I'm glad I'm doing my part by allowing my taxes fixing the Hammonton First's corporations downtown businesses, special order trees, and free water and sewer upgrade.  I work hard to maintain my own property why should I have to pay to maintain someone else's property for free.



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Anonymous

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The only way to ensure no tax increases is to eliminate all services.  The taxpayers on my street are doing their part to the Hammonton First idea of No Tax Increases by getting NO Services.  My road is bad and floods, we have dead trees down the road, and we don't have water and sewer.  I'm glad I'm doing my part by allowing my taxes fixing the Hammonton First's corporations downtown businesses, special order trees, and free water and sewer upgrade.  I work hard to maintain my own property why should I have to pay to maintain someone else's property for free.
Very well put, and remember if the Hammonton First administration took care of those storm sewers, your street wouldn't flood.

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?






Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!


This is exactly why the Democrats never win.  They will raise our taxes!



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The Democrats have pledged to keep our tax rate where it is now. We will return essential services to the public and eliminate wasteful spending where it exists to keep our taxes from going up.
It's a shame we can spend $20,000 to $30,000 to put in a drip irragation system downtown to water the hanging baskets, but we can't afford to provide the essential services our taxpayers deserve. We can provide free water and sewer hookups to the merchants downtown, but we can't put money towards stopping the flooding that happens all around town each time it rains. We can propose charging volunteers for background checks, even though our police department can do it for free, but we can't help buy the equipment needed to keep the kids safe while they play youth sports.
We need to get our priorities right, and the Democrats pledge to do just that!

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Anonymous

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The Democrats have pledged to keep our tax rate where it is now. We will return essential services to the public and eliminate wasteful spending where it exists to keep our taxes from going up.
It's a shame we can spend $20,000 to $30,000 to put in a drip irragation system downtown to water the hanging baskets, but we can't afford to provide the essential services our taxpayers deserve. We can provide free water and sewer hookups to the merchants downtown, but we can't put money towards stopping the flooding that happens all around town each time it rains. We can propose charging volunteers for background checks, even though our police department can do it for free, but we can't help buy the equipment needed to keep the kids safe while they play youth sports.
We need to get our priorities right, and the Democrats pledge to do just that!


Good point.  I can't wait to see Hammonton under a Democratic council!  Hammonton is so much more than the Hammonton First owned properties along 54.

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?






Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!


This is exactly why the Democrats never win.  They will raise our taxes!



Let's face it.  The Dems want to increase spending.  If the government spends money, it has to get the money from taxes.  No thanks, we don't need the Democrats.



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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

 

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?






Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!


This is exactly why the Democrats never win. They will raise our taxes!



Let's face it. The Dems want to increase spending. If the government spends money, it has to get the money from taxes. No thanks, we don't need the Democrats.

 




 Let's face it.  The Firsters want to increase their pockets. If the HF Corporation wants more freebies, it has to get the money from taxes. No thanks, we don't need the Firsters.



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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?






Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!


This is exactly why the Democrats never win.  They will raise our taxes!



Let's face it.  The Dems want to increase spending.  If the government spends money, it has to get the money from taxes.  No thanks, we don't need the Democrats.



HF kept taxes down two years straight.  For years are taxes went up and up.  Now the increases have finally stopped.  I don't want to go back to the past with nothing getting done and taxes increasing.



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All the current administration has done is defer the payments to our children and grandchildren. And that includes both the HF Republicans and the Regular Republicans. We are spending like drunken sailors and borrowing all the money to do it. The interest payments alone are putting a huge burden on the taxpayers, especially the seniors. It will take a long time to get our finances back in order and repair the damage that has been done.

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The Hammonton Democrats are not in favor of raising taxes to fix the problem created by this council. We propose dedicating a portion of all increase in revenues from the growth of the town to paying off the debt. We need to scrutinize every department and every expense to eliminate waste and duplicate spending to help fund essential services, capital improvements and paying off our debt, all without raising taxes.

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Anonymous

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Why didn't Jim MacLane make sure there were solar panels on the school when it was built?






Everybody wants to bash the new school just because the taxes went up. Taxes always go up, that is the way it has been forever. It never changes. Vote Democrat this year! The country is going Democrat, Atlantic County is swinging Democrat, and now we can have Hammonton go to the Democrat side!


This is exactly why the Democrats never win.  They will raise our taxes!



Let's face it.  The Dems want to increase spending.  If the government spends money, it has to get the money from taxes.  No thanks, we don't need the Democrats.



HF kept taxes down two years straight.  For years are taxes went up and up.  Now the increases have finally stopped.  I don't want to go back to the past with nothing getting done and taxes increasing.



Keep taxes down just like the last two years.  Vote for Hammonton First!



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Keep taxes down and get rid of the debt Hammonton First has built up, vote Democrat!!

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Anonymous

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It certainly is good to see that the town's audit report shows that debt went down in Hammonton.  We have more savings, less debt, and taxes did not go up like they did for years.

For years nothing ever got done in town.  Take a look at the Democrats campaign ad in 2004, the year Amirrato and MacLane lost.  It is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N44RwSarl5g.

The Democrats complained in their advertisement that the new town hall was going nowhere and streets weren't getting paved.

Now, with Hammonton First in office, the new town hall is underway, the sidewalks were done, roads have been paved.  Things are moving forward.

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Anonymous

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I'm tired of the Republicans participating in the Firsters' Highway Department witch hunt. In their silence and complicity, they might as well be Firsters. The way Anthony Marino led the way as they shoved a deputy superintendent down Lance's throat the other night...it made me sick. Would they do it to Massara, no way. Would the try it on the chief, not on your life. The ridiculous suspension, the lie about trash being collected in four days while Lance was away, the refusal to pay for necessary equipment, replacement hires and OT, the micro-meddling in daily operations. Easy to blame the Firsters, you expect it from them. But the Republicans just play along with outrage after outrage. Bertino sat back and watched in silence, and now Marino likes to be the trigger man himself. I guess the GOP has it in for Lance, too. They're all just jealous becasue none of them could march a mile in his shoes.

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