The Trenton Times published the following article, May 22, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Trenton council votes to keep taxes low, votes against applying for COPS grant

By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton 
on May 22, 2013 at 8:00 AM, updated May 22, 2013 at 8:07 AM

TRENTON — City council voted in favor of keeping taxes lower over increasing the size of the city’s police force last night, voting down an opportunity to apply for federal funding that would subsidize the cost to bring back 12 laid-off police officers.

The decision hinged on matching funds that the city would have had difficulty raising in order to qualify for the grant.

The Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant would have covered $1.5 million in salaries and benefits for the 12 officers that the city could have brought back, leaving the city to supply $2.27 million in matching funds over three years.

The proposal to apply for the COPS grant came from the city administration. Council members said last night Mayor Tony Mack has provided no clear plan for raising the necessary matching funds, so they could not sign off on what would inevitably mean a tax increase for constituents.

“I don’t see the money,” Council President Phyllis Holly-Ward said.

Councilman Zachary Chester said while he values increased public safety for the community, the cost, if not offset by increased revenues, would be too much.

“I would feel much more comfortable if I had projections,” Chester “So at least I have some idea that if these programs come online we are going to be able to cover some of that cost.”

Business Administrator Sam Hutchinson said the administration is hoping to establish programs that would increase city revenues from fee increases in several departments, parking enforcement and municipal court revenues.

Councilman Alex Bethea, the only board member to vote in favor of the resolution, said even though it would have increased taxes for residents, council has an obligation to increase the safety of Trentonians when possible.

“Our responsibility first is the safety of the city,” he said. “We are in a crisis. We have a responsibility to protect our city.”

The city won a $3 million COPS grant last June to bring back 12 officers laid off in 2011, when one-third of the city’s police force lost their jobs due to budget cuts. Last year, because the city applied for a fiscal distress waiver, they had a smaller match and a larger share of the cost was paid for by the federal government.

Detective Alexis Durlacher told council last month that the city is ineligible for a waiver this year because it has used up its distress option.

Police Director Ralph Rivera was at the meeting and declined to comment after the measure was voted down.

Council had to vote on the measure before their usual business meeting on Thursday, because the deadline to turn in the grant application was today.

Also at their meeting last night the council asked the attorney for the board that oversees the city-run hotel to be prepared to make a presentation to the council at their meeting tomorrow night and be ready to answer any and all questions about a $3 million proposed bond ordinance for the Marriott.

Gregory Johnson, the attorney for the Lafayette Yard Community Development Corp., said the $3 million, as well as an additional $200,000 sought, is essential to keeping the hotel open and operational past next month, when the current flag, Marriott, leaves.

Holly-Ward said in addition to the spending measures, she hopes to see an ordinance at an upcoming meeting that would increase the administration and council’s oversight of hotel spending and the hotel board.

Huchinson said the measures that are being considered would mean that all expenditures and contracts for the hotel would have to come before the city administration before they can be approved by the LYCDC.

“We need to move forward and get this oversight back,” Holly-Ward said.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5717.