Dire budgets are forcing cutbacks in still more Essex County towns. According to today’s Star Ledger, Maplewood has laid off 10% of its municipal workers and is merging its violations bureau with South Orange. There are furloughs planned for the entire year and library hours are being cut. Maplewood Patch, a local news Web site, says Maplewood’s deputy mayor has proposed merging its library, public works, police and fire services with South Orange. Maplewood is looking at a $3 million budget shortfall for the year.
The Star Ledger also has Montclair’s township manager thinking out loud in a way he might come to regret. There’s a state funding formula for libraries and Montclair apparently has been putting $1.3 million more than required into its two branches. Joseph Hartnett seems to have implied to the paper that that could be on the chopping block if the town loses a lot of funding from Trenton.
Things look better over in Millburn. The Millburn-Short Hills Patch has reported that while the township may make changes to garbage collection, it does not see the need for layoffs in 2010.
