14

Regional, Elementary'

Rutherford:

School Tax Hikes Seen COLD SPRING - The l^ower Township Elementary School Board ha's approved a tentative $1 7 nfillion budget for the 1983 84 school year tha\ will hike the current tax rate four cental f Hut in reality district Superintendent Ed Campbell says the increase from 88 cents • to 92 cents per $100 of assessed valuation actually ups the tax rate to the level it would have been rtiis yaar if the 1981 district tax had been struck correctly "The tax rate this yfear was an artificial rate." he told school board members last Thursday, noting that more than $142,000 to much was collected from taxpayers to support the district in 1981 WHEN THE MISTAKE was discovered, the extra $142,000 was placed in an interest-bearing trust fund This money, as well as accruer! interest, was used to sup port the 1982 83 budget The result was to reduce the total amount that had to tie rais ed through the school tax levy by 4 cents per $100 of assessed valuation Another four cents per $100 of assessed valuation would mean owner of a $50,000 home would pay an additional $20 m taxes .Under the proposed budget that must . now lie approved by County School Supt Robert Bongarl before it’s put before the voter* in April, voters will be asked to raise some $2.721.820 to support the overall $1.7-million budget This is iipjeom last years amount raised in taxes of $2,668,799. Overall the total budget - including cur rent expease, capital outlay and debt service - is up just under four percent ACCORDING TO Campbell, two items over which the district has no control account for almost $78.000 of the budget's overall $129,000 increase One of these is Blue Cross-Blue Shield^* which is increasing 23 percent or abouN $34,000 The other is $44,000 required by the stale to identify and provide education for pre school handicapped "The budget we've proposed is based on the assumption that we're going to receive . all of our state aid." Campbell saiA He ad ded. however, that using availahl(#iiirplus the district could cover a potential IVl.OOO shortfall in state aid MEANWHILE, the Uiwer Cape May Regional School Board submitted its ten tative $5 fi million proposal to the county school fitipt Monday This is up from the current $5 2 million budget Under the tentative plan, the current ex pepse will Im* more than $3 3 million Ap proval also wijl be sought for $55,mm for capital outlay, the part of the budget pro vidltlg for improvements to school proper ty and facilities Lower Cape May Regional Supt Ephraim Keller said Monday that while the district wav permitted to increase its total budget by 9 8 percent this year, the total increase will be only 9 percent He ad ded that the tentative proposal, although it may be changed before being put to the voters in April, is presently’ under the cap by $4,372 WHILE NOTING that it appears the district ta* rate for the three municipalities making up the region Lower Township. Cape May and West Cape May will "go up slightly," Keller said Monday he's not sure exactly what the tax rates will be. "The effect will be abou^ eight or nine cents in Cape May and about the same in the township." he said This would mean that a person with a $50,000 home would pay an additional $40 in regional school tax

(From Page 1) Rutherford estimates the average age of year-round residents at 65 or 70. "SELDOM DOES a total stranger move into town," he said. "Most r are retired senior citizens, long-time summer residents There is hardly ever any change. It’s-a great little town; everybody knows everybody.” Cape May Point has 24-hour police protection with one full-time officer and five part time, but no chief, only an "officer in charge ” The police come under Rutherford's responsibilities as director of public safety "We’re so small; we were almost unheard of before the Parkway." he said "Pennsylvanians knew we were here, but a New York State license plate was very rare. "Not that there's an explosion going on." he said. "But six or seven homes were built here in the past year” There are empty lots, but Rutherford said few are for sale, most being held either as an investment or as a site for a future home after retirement RUTHERFORD ATTENDED Cape May Point Elementary School through the second grade, when it closed, then went to Cape May. graduating from high school in 1941 Enlisting in the Navy, he served in the Mediterranean as a motor machinist mate in the engine room of an LST, an amphibious landing craft that repeatedly took GIs ashore as the U S. Army battled its way north in Italy "We were constatatly griping, but that was natural." he said. "When you reflect back, it was a great experience ” ON A 30-DAY LEAVE one month before his discharge in February, 1946, he married a local girl he'd known all his life, the former Roberta Hallman They have two daughters, Linda Smith, employed by the county Health Department and whose husband, James is a senior planner for the county; and Edna, a customer service representative in Marine National Bank's Villas office. Rutherford was a diesel mechanic at a Cape May marine until that three-year hiatus to Media When he returned in 1952, he went to work helping his father building homes, additions, alterations. "I kept busy right here on Cape May Point," he said "1 probably haven’t built but four or five homes out of the borough ' RUTHERFORD WAS an appointed assessor from 1955 to 1967 and ran for borough commission during a recall effort in 1967 The incumbents chose not to' run and Rutherford and his teammates were elected without opposition The incumbents' problems were "a series of small things not worth mention mg individually. ' said Rutherford "They just snowballed Plus they rubbed the local fire company the wrong way " "Ninety percent of the men here belong to the fire company." said Rutherford, a former chief, now "exempt, but still active "

Tourism Council — i From Page 1 > allegiance to a business." said Ms Ritter "We're one attraction not many.” "We should keep it intact," agreed DiSylvester "If we dilute $800, it woyld not have much effect " MEMBERS INDICATED it might be best to promote fall tourism rather than summer since the funds aren't expected until June DiSylvester agreed '’I'm not sure howmuch we need in July and August." he

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THE FIRE 61MPANY was the wrong organization ttfrubTfie wrong way. Vital in a town where "none of the homes are fireproof," it has influence beyond its 20-25 members. Today the borough commission meets upstairs in the firehouse and subsidizes the fire department’s operations with an annual appropriation. Commission candidates run nonpartisan. said Republican Rutherford, who points out that the third commission members is borough Democratic leader Edward Jarvis. On original 20-1 Republican registration lead may be closer to 10-1 today, Rutherford suggests. CAPE MAY POINT’S biggest problem is its sewer system. "It's shot,” said Rutherford. "It’s old, half full of sand, and collapsing. The state has told Cape May Point to upgrade that system, which takes sewage to the nearby MUA-owned Cape May sewage treatment plant in Lower Towashtp The borough applied for federal and state money to build a new sewage wl- 1 lection system. "We got step one, some federal money for design, but with the crunch in Washington, it doesn't look like there will be any step two money for plans and specifications, let alone step three for construction,” the mayor said. THE LINES MUST BE replaced, but "with tight money in Washington, we sure as hell can’t do it ourself," said Rutherford. "Until somebody comes along and releases some money, we’re suffering along and trying to fix it outself.” Some Cape May Point residents may be privately relieved. The sewer line replacement project could carry a $3-4-miliion price tag and they would have to pay a portion. The borough was fortunate in the early 1970s when its wells were condemned because of a salt water intrusion. The federal government picked up 90 percent of the $150,000 cost of laying a connector line to Cape May. Beach erosion is a second problem, but the jetties and dunes have been holding. "That could change over nignt," Rutherford pointed out Being mayor is a gratifying job," said Rutherford "It's been great. If I wasn't involved. I’d probably attend every meeting as a taxpayer just to see what was going on There’s a sense of satisfaction. Things get done and we all say, 'Hey. that worked all right; let's try something else for the betterment of the town.' "

added. "Promote the fall when they're here in the Summer," suggested Robert C, Patterson Jr., executive director of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce. He said county businesses reported large increases this fall because of good weather. Council members also suggested membership dues might be one way to col lect funds for their local match. Louis Lambert, owner of the Wildwood Senior Citizens Council, called the $50,000 statewide "a laugh " "I d refuse it," he said. FIFTY THOUSAND is a pittance," agreed Ms. Ritter, “but it’s what we do with it We start small. The iron is hot for tourism." DiSylvester suggested tourist associa lions should form a PAC (Political Action Council) to lobby in their behalf. "We no*] someone in Trenton to fight for our rights.” he said "They throw us a crumb, but if we tell them to take the 50 and , I'm ndt sure what that would do.” The regional council is an advisory group established by Travel and Tourism to represent the tourism Industry in Cape May and Cumberland counties It is slated to meet March 9 at 10 a m at the Ocean City Music Pier

Herald & Lantern 16 February '83

Call Roads

Disgrace By BOB StHlLES VILLAS — Lower Township Mayor Peggie Bieberbach and several residents charged Monday that the county’s maintenance of local roads during last weekend's blizzard was an "absolute disgrace." “If you4ook at the county and state roads, you'll see they're an absolute disgrace," the mayor said. She pointed to Bayshore Road and 6ther county roadways as areas that Vvere still major traffic hazards, three days after the snowfall. "For being the largest municipality with the greatest population, I don’t think the county did a good job at all cleaning our roads " she said "There should be an entourage of people going to the freeholders' meeting to complain In all the years I've lived here, I’ve never seen the conditions this bad " ROBERT CONROY of Villas agreed with the mayor's assessment, contending that if there had been a "major freeze," Bayshore Road would have been a real problem. He said the county never began plowing Bayshore Road until 5 p.m. Friday and then it only made three sweeps. Committeeman Robert Fothcrgill, who oversees the township road department, said township road crews plowed some county roads because the county failed to do an adequate job. "If it happens again, can we take responsibility fo- plowing the roads, and have the county pay us?" he asked. , But according to Township Solicitor Bruce Gorman, if the township plows county roads the municipality could be liable for any injuries. "IF WE INTERFERE, we could be on the hook," the attorney said. "We don’J need higher insurance rates or judgments against the township." "As long as I’m in charge of public works, if we have the equipment those roads are going to be open," Fothcrgill responded "In this kind of emergency, the name of the game is to keep the,roadways open for vehicles. " The committeeman commended the performance of the local road department, police and civil defense volunteers during the storm. He noted that some township employes worked more than 30 hours non stop. "I don't feel I have to apologize for our workers," Fotherbill added. "I think they did an outstanding job.”

‘Taxpayers' (From Page 1) unsuccessful independent Republican candidate for township committee last November, asked the freeholders what they were doing to attract business and industry. STURM SAID the county’s efforts were hampered by its "remote location. If you were an industry, you’d want to be close to four sources." "There’s a transportation problem," said Thornton. There aren’t proper roads or rails, no way to get the raw material in and the finished product out " Thornton, who managed the unsuccessful campaign of GOP organization Township Comrpittee candidate William Hevener last NoVembfci, and Link, viewed by some as the "spojler" whose independent race led to the election of Democrat Robert Fothergill, m$de little effort to conceal their disdain foi’ each other "WHAT ARE YOUR solutions'”' Thorntor. asked Link. "Do ybu have any suggestions?" "Right now?" asked Link. "Yes." said Thornton. "Absolutely not," said Link "I didn’t come prepared.” Sturm praised the group for coming. "THIS IS WONDERFUL." he said "I wish we’d have to hire a football field on March 8. You’d get better government." The public hearing on the $33-million budget is slated for 8 p.m Tuesday, March 8. with final adoption likely the same night The budget calls for a tax increase of less than one cent per hundred dollars of assessed valuation