The More fun and games at Serving our Community playground. Since 1888 Item New Taylor Park facility to January 26, 2006 reopen next month. Page A3. 75 cents weekly of Millburn and Short Hills www.theitemonline.com COUNTY GOVERNMENT Executive summarizes multi-year fiscal plan By Patricia Harris said. “When I came into office, we that cloud over Essex County no of The Item had a $64 million budget deficit. longer exists there,” he added. Now—and we’ve never had this With graphics and text in the Essex County Executive Joseph before—we have a $31 million sur- background, the executive con- N. DiVincenzo brought his pro- plus. Our bond rating in Essex tended the county is maintaining a posed budget for 2006 to the town- County was junk bonds when I fiscally responsible budget and ship, giving a PowerPoint presen- took it over. Now we’ve been planning ahead. Administrators tation Tuesday night at Town Hall upgraded four times. We are A3 have been following their multi- in which he outlined his philoso- bond rated.” year fiscal blueprint by holding the phy and pointed to the successes of The executive continued by say- line on expenses and implement- his three years in office. ing once the budget gets passed in ing staff reductions, he said, and The presentation was the first of March, the county’s bond rating the county ended the year with no four sessions the county executive will rise to AA. emergency appropriations or cash is hosting throughout the county DiVincenzo began his presenta- deficit. over the next month to explain his tion by noting that when he took For the third consecutive year, initiatives to restore fiscal integrity office, he walked into an “ethical the county did no short-term bor- to the county and address the and financial mess.” rowing to meet its cash flow needs, property tax burden. “When it came to ethics, I had unlike the previous 15 years prior Addressing a crowd of about 60 to hire an inspector general,” he to his administration, and the people, many of them county offi- said. “We were the first ones that county has continued to prudent- ADAM ANIK/THE ITEM cials and politicians, DiVincenzo hired an inspector general to over- ly grow its surplus to help address sought to show his $582 million see all functions of Essex County future collective challenges, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, right, presents his proposed budget for this year budget is balanced and fiscally government. We have over 3,600 according to the executive. at Town Hall Tuesday evening, with Paul Hopkins, the county’s treasurer and liaison to the responsible. Using graphics and employees that work for the coun- Hopkins pointed to some of the municipality, at his side. DiVincenzo sought to show how he is maintaining a fiscally responsible charts and calling on other admin- ty and over 825,000 residents and collective challenges that face the budget and planning ahead. istrators including Paul Hopkins, our budget is over $560 million. county, including rising energy the county’s treasurer and liaison “I had to bring back the trust costs and higher mandatory con- to the municipality, DiVincenzo and respect in county govern- tributions for pension and health led a nearly hour-long presentation ment,” DiVincenzo continued, not- insurance. To help reduce gas, elec- that drew applause on several ing that other county governments tricity and heating fuel bills, DiVin- occasions from the audience. and the state have now hired cenzo asked all department and “The main problem that has inspector generals. division directors, constitutional been on the backs of the taxpayers “What was an ugly scene three of Essex County is the budget,” he years ago is no longer that way, SEE EXECUTIVE, PAGE B10 CRIME STATISTICS Figures continue to drop By Harry Trumbore ed theft, such as when the ignition little point in trying to sugarcoat a of The Item has been damaged, officials said, is township’s crime profile. usually counted as a motor vehicle The chief, who has maintained Township police officials said theft. the department realistically has this week local crime statistics con- A total of 14 robberies were control over only two of the cate- tinue to reflect a downward trend reported in 2005, up three from the gories, burglaries and automobile across the country. previous year. The chief made the theft, said, “I don’t fool around When he took charge of the point that almost all robberies with statistics. If you do, you nev- department in 1995, Police Chief recorded by the township were er see a true reflection of any Paul Boegershausen said 1,120 assaults made during a theft, usu- change.” incidents were reported in the ally by a shoplifter attempting to There were no homicides, rapes township, including 142 burglaries escape store security officers. or incidents of arson reported last and 152 stolen automobiles. In compiling the figures for the year. Crime rate statistics for 2005 UCR, shoplifting incidents are If any credit is given for keeping released by the department this included in the total count of lar- a lid on crime, it has to go to the week showed a total of 656 inci- cenies for the year. township police officer, Boeger- dents. According to the figures, 43 Although the same number of shausen said. The average officer burglaries and 42 motor vehicle larceny incidents were reported in today receives better training and thefts were reported last year. 2005 as the previous year, shoplift- has the opportunity to train on spe- The figures, collected each year ing incidents rose from 145 to 162. cialized teams, such as the SWAT by township police, are submitted Assaults also remained constant team, the domestic violence Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo takes his message into the audience at Town to the State Police for its Uniform at 69 incidents, although a break- response team or the fatal accident Crime Report (UCR), which tracks down of township numbers shows investigative team. Hall during his Tuesday night presentation of his proposed budget for 2006. major categories of crime. The aggravated assaults rose from three “That has generated a lot of report usually is released later in reported in 2004 to 16 in 2005. enthusiasm for the job,” the chief the year. Simple assaults, which are not said. “It makes them more profes- Boegershausen said he is compiled in the URC, dropped sional, more stimulated.” BOARD OF EDUCATION pleased with the crime rate’s con- from 66 to 53 during the same Police Capt. David Barber, who tinued downward trend but is hes- period. prepared the township UCR fig- itant about attributing the drop to There sometimes are discrepan- ures, agrees. Township police any one specific reason. cies in how communities report responded to 19,566 calls in 2005, “Burglaries are down,” the chief incidents, Boegershausen said. according to Barber. Revised building plans said. “We have aggressive According to New Jersey statutes, “We have a better cop now,” he patrolling. People seem to be more a simple assault may be defined as said. The new skills are necessary conscientious. Detectives have a punch thrown during an argu- because of a changing world, he solved key cases.” ment with a neighbor. The same added. “If you’re a local police offi- and draft budget floated Despite a fluctuation over the punch thrown at a police officer, cer, Homeland Security duties will past several years, reported bur- teacher or other specified person, be part of your job. After all, it By Harry Trumbore address several of those issues, “We have been able to realize glaries dropped for the second con- however, would be classified as an comes down to the local level and ofTheItem including the multi-purpose space significant savings,” Brodow said. secutive year, from 46 reported in aggravated assault. Aggravated intelligence gathering. The local at the middle school, which only “We feel confident the work in the 2004 to 43 last year. assault incidents also include situ- cop is the eyes and ears along with During Monday night’s Board was presented as an option, and (existing) science rooms will be At the same time, motor vehicle ations where bodily harm is done the public, and it goes up the lad- of Education meeting, Superinten- additional cafeteria space at the sufficient.” theft dropped dramatically from 77 or a weapon is used. dent of Schools Richard Brodow high school. The superintendent said the in 2004 to 42 in 2005. An attempt- Boegershausen stated there is SEE FIGURES, PAGE B10 presented a new round of revised “The new revised plan includes new, revised proposal presented construction plans for the sec- the multi-purpose room,” Brodow Monday night carries an estimated ondary schools. said. “It also expands the locker price tag of $21.1 million, several At the same meeting, the public room space and accommodates thousand dollars below the esti- Total Crimes Committed, By Category also got a look at the first draft of more youngsters.” Brodow said mated cost of the proposal pre- the budget for the 2006-07 school school administrators at both sented Jan. 10 and approximately 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 year and heard a report detailing schools also have identified rooms half the cost of the defeated refer- how space and financial con- that can be converted to small endum. straints are affecting various acad- instructional spaces. Brodow said he hopes to set a Homicide 0 0 0 1 0 0 emic departments. The superintendent said addi- meeting sometime next week for Rape 0 0 2 2 2 0 A scaled-back construction plan tional cafeteria space for the high public discussion of the latest pro- had been tentatively approved by school is now proposed for the posal.