December 5, 2014
Borough of Cliffside Park
525 Palisade Avenue
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010
ATTN: Acting Mayor Thomas Calabrese
Council Woman Donna Spoto
CC: Borough Clerk Sercan Zoklu
Re: Community Wide Streetscape Improvement Tax Rebate Program
(Proposal)
Dear Acting Mayor Thomas Calabrese and Councilwoman Donna Spoto,
I wanted to follow-up with my appearance at the last meeting held on
Tuesday, November 12. I inquired about the Grant secured for the
streetscape improvement project mentioned in the last election promotional
materials, the project between Crescent and Lawton Avenues or what's now come to
be known as restaurant row, the six properties 7-11 up to the bar on the corner
of Columbia and then EmergiMed and two others heading North to Lawton
Avenue.
As I stated, beautification projects are an improvement, they help the
business and homeowners in the neighborhoods as well as the over all community,
in addition to those benefits it also improves the property values of all
structures in the improvement zone, again paid for by Grant Monies, not the
owners of the properties, a win, win for everyone, truly as I walk and bike to
the
Palisadium and would
add that you include one or two bike racks, as
parking is limited, cycling will generate foot traffic as well, foot traffic
brings customers, please if you haven't thought of that, rethink and add one
or two, thank you.
I'd like to talk about other improvements made in the community along
Palisade and Anderson Avenues, these aren't by Grants, but are paid out of
pocket by the property owners, the goal streetscape improvement which will
increase their property values, like their neighbors elsewhere in town, lucky
enough to be in a Grant that does has the same results.
In reading the ordinance 13-2-2 Failure to Repair"
What I'm reading is that the Council verifies the costs conducted by the
town department doing the inspection, this is fair. Then the Council then
certifies the repair expenses which get placed on the land owners as a lien, and
then gets added to their taxes with interest until all taxes and liens are paid
off.
I'd like the Council to consider the following, thank you..
Proposal:
Offer the property owners who are proactive the opposite of a Tax Lien,
that being a Tax rebate to help cover the costs, this could be spread over a
period so that the entire project is paid off by tax rebate monies.
The council approves similar rebates on property owners who over-pay their
property taxes, the Council should be able to come up with a property owner tax
rebate landscape program, that is spread out over a few years of tax
payments.
All residents would be saving money, net result those who sign on board
this program assist in a community wide streetscape project.
Thank you for your time today and also for your consideration.
Respectfully.
Stephen A. Puibello
Community Activist since 1996,
from the City of Boston's City Council for his community work
for Boston's Back Bay Neighborhood and the City of Boston.
September 12, 2001
