Finance Committee budget a detriment to taxpayers

Joe Petrucelli and Kevin Duffy describe themselves as "nonpolitical" and regular citizens who volunteer their time to better the financial condition of Edison Township. This statement and their blatantly political attacks against the new administration at Township Council meetings raised questions in my mind. So, I was not surprised to learn about their real involvement.

First, Petrucelli has been involved in politics over many years working as treasurer for a council candidate in Jersey City. Hudson County, the capital of state corruption, is a wonderful model for how to improve Edison government. Petrucelli has told friends that he is interested in running for mayor at times. He was an active supporter of Bill Stephens in the 2005 campaign, a member of the Edison PBA Outreach Committee and attended the PBA rally demanding the mayor's resignation. These associations are linked on Petrucelli and Duffy's business Web site. The "nonpolitical" pair makes it a priority to list the mayor's election reports and other tidbits critical of the mayor while they try to do business. Clearly these are political hacks with an agenda.

And what is more distressing is why the Edison council's Finance Committee, namely, Tony Massaro and Sal Pizzi, rely on them. Can they not form their own opinions about how to do better budgeting? Do they really think that Edison voters are not smart enough to realize the political games being played? Council meetings have become a joke! The council's Finance Committee needs to come clean and have a real debate with credible financial experts, not the clowns that use Edison TV for their 15 minutes of fame.

And the result of all this, a Finance Committee proposed budget that will leave residents hammered with higher taxes in the future.

Diane King

Edison