DE LUCA SWORN IN

Mayor Vic De Luca was sworn in to his third straight term as mayor on Saturday.


During his address, he noted the economic difficulties and took shots at the state:


With double digit health benefit and pension increases, it will be a struggle to meet the two percent property tax cap but that is our goal. We begin discussing the budget in this room at 9:00am next Saturday for anyone who would like to join us.

The property tax remains a huge problem for municipalities like Maplewood, which is fully developed and more than 90 percent residential properties. I disagree with Governor Christie’s decision not to reinstitute the higher income tax rate on those making more than a half million dollars a year and with his cuts in school and municipal aid. And I am disappointed that neither the Governor nor the Legislature is proposing structural changes to our tax system to make it less reliant on the property tax. I fear we will see more cuts to our school and municipal aid in 2011 and the continuation of blaming local officials for a situation over which they have little control. I and my colleagues will be your advocates down in Trenton working with the League of Municipalities, the NJ Conference of Mayors and our state representatives.

And while I am talking about blaming, I hope the Governor will stop targeting public employees as the problem. Public employees were out there from Sunday afternoon through Monday night plowing the snow off our streets. Public employees risk their lives to fight fires or respond to police and other emergencies. Public employees teach our children the skills they need to become the next generation of leaders. Public employees provide flu shots and other health and medical services to our residents. Public employees drive our jitney riders to and from the train station each morning and night.

See the entire speech HERE