Taxpayers Petition Against Washington Township Budget And Tax Levy

Petitions are being circulated among Washington Township property taxpayers to challenge the 2009 budget and tax levy approved by the Washington Township Board on November 10. Specifically, the petition raises objections to the following: a $47,277 "Chief of Staff" position for the township (note--there is no staff to manage); the 69% pay raise the township board members just voted themselves; the $41,639 appropriated to pay health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits for Trustee Frank Short and the Chief of Staff; and other sums appropriated for legal services, other professional services and dues and seminars. The petition states that two resolutions adopted at the November 10 meeting were done so without advance notice to at least 3 of the township's board members. That included a 4% increase in township employee pay and the 69% board member pay raise. The petition notes that the higher tax levy approved by the township board comes at a time the rainy day fund has a $3.4 million balance.