To the Editor:

The members of Keyport Policemen’s Benevolent Association would like to take this time to say thank you to each and every resident, business owner, employees and other PBA Locals for your support in celebrating our 35th anniversary and the honoring of Sgt. Dillion and Sgt. Wheeler on their retirements. The showing was not only overwhelming but will be unforgettable for years to come.

Our local and the members of the Keyport Police Department would only ask for one more show of support. We would ask that everyone please come to the May 6 Council meeting.

At this meeting the mayor, council and business administrator will be attempting to pass a budget for major economic cuts, causing a drastic impact to the Police Department, Fire Department, First Aid Squad and Public Works Department, resulting in significant service interruptions. They are attempting to force department administrators to operate with budgets and numbers that are not realistic or practical. As Police Chief Mitchell has stated in the past at meetings, the situation is “is just not acceptable.”

Our current financial times have led to some recent misrepresentation of police officers’ salaries and pensions. We would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. Some argue that the current financial strain on state and local governments is a result of increased pensions contributions. That is wrong.

For seven years, state and local governments were excused from making the normal required contributions to our pension. They avoided making these contributions under the pretext of property tax relief. Over $250 million was diverted and spent.

Not one single resident got a refund check from local government or saw their property taxes reduced. At the same time the government was squandering our savings, New Jersey police officers are paying the highest public employee pension contributions in the nation.

While out walking the town come on in to town hall, stop at the clerk’s office and fill out a Open Public Records Act (OPRA) form and start requesting copies of the payment of bills for 2007 and 2008 for attorneys and engineers to see where the money is going.

Please come out in support of your local services, on Tuesday, May 6. We will be there at 7 p.m.

Keyport PBA No. 223