Should Residents Pay for County Services Not Used?

Thanks to Warren's spread-out residential developments, the township believes it's important to have local emergency dispatchers familiar with the towns' streets and avenues on duty.

But since the county established an emergency communications center, which handles police, fire and emergency medical dispatch for towns that don't have their own, a portion of Warren's county tax bill is used to cover the cost of operating the center. 

It comes to about $12,200, but the doesn't think township residents should have to pay it—and they want a refund.

"What we're asking for is a credit," Mayor Carolann Garafola said at the Aug. 16 Township Commitee meeting. "We have asked the county to consider a separate tax for the dispatch...because we are not getting the service."

The township sent a letter to Freeholder Director Pat Walsh shortly before that meeting, but had not heard back from her.

Should the county dismiss Warren's claims, Township Attorney Jeffrey Lehrer said there are other possible ways of reclaiming the taxes.

"We have the litigation route, obviously, if you want to do that," he said.

Deputy Mayor Vic Sordillo said he was concerned the county would use the tax to essentially coerce municipalities into participating in the dispatch system, whether they wanted to or not. He said he thinks some towns use the county dispatch because "they have to pay for it anyway."