HAMMONTON BLOG

Admin · Status: Offline

Mayor's Fiscal Oversight Committee discusses eliminating Hammonton Police Department

Voice of the People · Status: Offline

So let me understand this.

The Town no longer wants to fund a police department. They want the Fire Department to charge fees. So this begs the question:

What services does the Town provide? Personally, I don't want to pay taxes for Soccer Fields, Wine Bars, and Historical Preservation. Or maybe to give the Town Hall architect a full-time job (Little Italy Coordinator).

It seems that we can all see what $30K in campaign contributions will get you.

Date: 01:25 PM Mar 12, 2008

Admin wrote:
According to a story in the Hammonton Gazette, the FOC has discussed eliminating the Hammonton Police Department and utilizing the State Police to cover our Town. Foc Chairman Don DiDonato claims the average household in Hammonton is paying approximately $1,000 toward the police department. We dispute that claim. According to the budget worksheet provided by the Town of Hammonton the total expense for the police department is $2,749,598.83 for 2007. The 200 census shows the number of households in Hammonton to be 4,483. Now, of course, the number of households in Hammonton has risen since 2000, but if we even use that number the average cost per household is $567. But the other problem with this number is that not only households pay taxes. Every commercial property pays taxes and in most cases more than a household. If we use the total number of addresses in Hammonton the average cost comes down to $337 each. So the cost for each household would be something lower than this number and each commercial property would pay something higher. Why would Don DiDonato exagerate the costs so much? He states that the state police are proposing a household charge of $280 to cover Folsom. But as other members of the FOC discussed, what level of service are the State Police providing as compared to our own Police Department.
We feel this proposal is outrageous and a much more accurate set of numbers must be presented if any discussion on this subject should continue.

Do your numbers count the dispatchers?
Do your numbers count the medical benefits?
Do your numbers count the employer taxes and social security?
Do your numbers count the pension plan?

It sure adds up when you factor in the total costs.

Date: 01:28 PM Mar 12, 2008

This is obviously a continuation of the Hammonton First vendetta against the Chief and the Hammonton Police Department. They don't respect the men on the force or the job that they do.

Admin · Status: Offline

Anonymous wrote:

Do your numbers count the dispatchers?
Do your numbers count the medical benefits?
Do your numbers count the employer taxes and social security?
Do your numbers count the pension plan?

It sure adds up when you factor in the total costs.

These are not my numbers. These are the numbers that the FOC is using to develop this year's budget. And yes, these numbers include dispatchers, medical benefits, taxes, pension plan and all expenses.

Voice of the People · Status: Offline

Anonymous Number One:

If you want to outsource the cops as a matter of policy, I think your wrong but that is your opinion.

But what bothers me is that you and your fellow Donio First Supporters are so delusional that you think that somehow that the DiDonato Triplets and the ruling family are looking out for you?

Maybe instead of making fun of everyone else in the Gazette, there should be a cartoon of Don, John and Steve dancing on strings.

I know, I know, I am being negative. Sorry, I do not believe in dictatorships.

Date: 01:48 PM Mar 12, 2008

Its' All good isn't it.....................what a mess...............

Date: 01:49 PM Mar 12, 2008

Admin wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do your numbers count the dispatchers?
Do your numbers count the medical benefits?
Do your numbers count the employer taxes and social security?
Do your numbers count the pension plan?

It sure adds up when you factor in the total costs.
These are not my numbers. These are the numbers that the FOC is using to develop this year's budget. And yes, these numbers include dispatchers, medical benefits, taxes, pension plan and all expenses.

You might want to check again. Your numbers are WAY off. You need to factor in all police and dispatcher salaries, and all the other departmental expenses plus the medical benefits, the worker's comp bills, the pension fund, the police cars, the gas for the cars, etc., etc.

Voice of the People · Status: Offline

Previous Donio First Supporter and Imperial Lackey:

Our Cops serve the public well. We can easily have problems like Millville, etc due to our location between larger cities. That is not the case. It is not about cost; it is about quality. Local cops provide a service that the state troopers cannot. There are alot of statistics out there that the community knowing and trusting the police force is critical in deterring crime.

But let's talk costs for a minute. What do we pay taxes for if we do not have police, fire or trash? We might as well just pay state taxes and forget about a municipality. Right now, it seems that all of our local taxes go towards the debacle of a town hall ($60K in change orders), historical preservation ($20K for Bellevue and Central) and Little Italy ($23K for a program coordinator who is also a supporter of Donio First).

Support the Cops not the Donios!

Date: 02:16 PM Mar 12, 2008

WTF!!!!!! IF THIS IS NOT THE BEST INDICATION THESE DH'S ARE INSANE AND HAVE NO BUSINESS RUINING OUR TOWN (YES I MEANT RUINING NOT RUNNING) NOTHING IS. IF THEY TRY THAT MOVE WE AS A TOWN NEED TO GET RID OF THEM IMMEDIATELY. THEY DON'T PLAY NICE AND NEITHER SHOULD WE. THIS IS SICK!!!

Date: 09:21 PM Mar 12, 2008

Didn't they learn anything from the last time they attacked our Police Dept.? Our entire town supports the police and appreciates the fantastic work they do to keep our town safe. To use their own words, you don't fix what's not broken.

Date: 11:12 PM Mar 12, 2008

Has the Fiscal Oversight Committee considered eliminating the Fiscal Oversight Committee?

Date: 07:06 AM Mar 13, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Has the Fiscal Oversight Committee considered eliminating the Fiscal Oversight Committee?

This one committee has set our town back 100 years.May god bless them, because everyone else doesn't.They are nuts with their thinking.Maybe the good people of Hammonton will wake up to see they have been dupped for the past three years. The only trash that needs to be put out in Hammonton is them.The FOC is nothing more than the Mayors' way of blaming someone else.This administration has screwed the taxpayers so bad, but they don't it yet.New bumper sticker for the Firsters, "Its' All Borrowed" and " Credit Cards Are Us". Zero taxes with less services and borrowed. "Borrow Now Pay When Were're Gone"." Its all GOOD"

Date: 08:25 AM Mar 13, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

Admin wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Do your numbers count the dispatchers?
Do your numbers count the medical benefits?
Do your numbers count the employer taxes and social security?
Do your numbers count the pension plan?

It sure adds up when you factor in the total costs.
These are not my numbers. These are the numbers that the FOC is using to develop this year's budget. And yes, these numbers include dispatchers, medical benefits, taxes, pension plan and all expenses.

You might want to check again. Your numbers are WAY off. You need to factor in all police and dispatcher salaries, and all the other departmental expenses plus the medical benefits, the worker's comp bills, the pension fund, the police cars, the gas for the cars, etc., etc.

How many cars does the police force have?

Date: 02:20 PM Mar 13, 2008

Folsom, Mullica, Egg Harbor & Buena discuss consolidating services

Date: 06:50 AM Mar 14, 2008

RE: Mayor's Fiscal Oversight Committee discusses eliminating Hammonton Police Department

Date: 01:03 PM Mar 14, 2008

Do state police do foot patrols? I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to any of the downtown properties if our fine local men in blue no longer walk our streets. Will there still be a DARE program in our schools? Will there be a police station locally for people to file reports or do we have to go out of town for that? Will this make Hammonton safer? After all It's Not All Good, we're just number 277 in the state.

Date: 01:06 PM Mar 14, 2008

I think the town should eliminate Mainstreet based on the mayor's reason for eliminating MUAC - It's no longer needed.

Date: 11:09 AM Mar 17, 2008

Blog Hog wrote:
Do state police do foot patrols? I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to any of the downtown properties if our fine local men in blue no longer walk our streets. Will there still be a DARE program in our schools? Will there be a police station locally for people to file reports or do we have to go out of town for that? Will this make Hammonton safer? After all It's Not All Good, we're just number 277 in the state.

folsom was number 19
folsom uses state police they don't have their own dept

Admin · Status: Offline

According to the same report, Folsom also has a higher crime rate.

Date: 02:50 PM Mar 17, 2008

Anonymous wrote:

See today's AC Press at http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/179/story/105463.html Mullica is discussing consoidating police services with Egg Harbor. In addition, the are talking with Egg Harbor, Folsom, Buena City and Buena Borough about consolidating either dispatchers or police services to save money.

Should Hammonton openly discuss sharing services like the surrounding communities are doing above? Maybe they are a good idea, maybe they are not. Should they be considered for the taxpayers' benefit?