WILDWOOD — Residents that filled Wildwood City Hall Wednesday March 11 may have been looking for a budget update or possibly a show put on by feuding commissioners, in-stead they received a challenge from Mayor Ernie Troiano to come forward with their ideas on how the city can save and better spend its money.
Commissioner Gary DeMarzo had scheduled a budget workshop for that evening’s meeting. However, City Clerk Christopher Wood told the audience in City Hall that he had spent the last week trying to diffuse tensions in the city government by delaying a budget presentation that may be premature.
Wood explained that city is carrying an operating deficit from its failure to sell the back-bay redevelopment site, and there are budget issues that have to be dealt with.
“There are certain expenses we can’t avoid,” Wood said. “But it is not all doom and gloom.”
“We are open to suggestions and we are asking taxpayers to step up,” Troiano said.
Troiano said the city was ready to listen to different ideas, pointing out an idea by resident Al Brannen that the officials into wind power. Despite their history of disagreeing with each other, Troiano said he recognized Brannen’s suggestion as a good one and was pursuing it.
Troiano said that if residents didn’t want to talk to him, they could talk to any other commissioner, send a signed letter or talk to the city clerk.
“There are a lot of untruths out there,” Troiano said and called DeMarzo’s estimates of a 45-cent tax increase bizarre.
DeMarzo responded that he was standing by the number he projected, but agreed to delay his budget presentation until April 15.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
