Fire district is seeking tax increase
Published in Trenton Times, Sunday, February 09, 2003
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP (MERCER)—In the Washington Township Fire District, five candidates vie for two open commissioner slots, while voters will decide whether to approve a $2.2 million budget that would add 3 cents to the fire district tax.
The budget is now $1.86 million, with a tax of 23 cents per $100 in assessed property value. If approved, the tax would rise to 26 cents. The fire tax for the owner of a home assessed at the township average of about $160,000 would be $416, up $48.
Four paid firefighters would be added to the current 21-member staff. There also are about 12 active volunteer firefighters, Commissioner Deborah Matson said.
Candidates for commissioner are Nathaniel Bouchelle, James Derrico, Elwood Fell, Robert Hutchinson and Joseph Valyo.
Bouchelle, 69, is the only incumbent. He has served as a commissioner since the current district commissioner format was set in 1988.
Fell, 58, a retired state office manager, has been a member of the Nottingham Fire Co. for 37 years. He said he supports the proposed budget and added firefighters.
"I think it's a fair budget," he said.
Hutchinson, 30, is a fire safety specialist for New York City Transit. He has worked as a volunteer firefighter in Washington Township and West Windsor.
Hutchinson said the added firefighters would be "cost effective" because they would reduce overtime paid to current firefighters.
Valyo and Derrico couldn't be reached for comment. Valyo is a part-time EMS coordinator at the Sovereign Bank Arena.
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