West Milford is fighting amongst itself while the ones that have done thisto us, Passaic County and the State of New Jersey, sit back and enjoy thebenefits.
Want to know where to fill your gas tank for free? How about where to getcorn, pork bellies, silver, etc. for free? Nowhere is the answer sinceit is common economic knowledge that someone must pay for commodities andnatural resources. Oops, that's not right; we are paying for what othersare consuming.
It is a crime that West Milford is strapped with the cost of water. Wateris a natural resource and we are its stewards. It is in our geography thatis restricted from development yet the predominance of possession and use isoutside our township. The cost is being imposed on its residents and WestMilford is bearing a burden that has become intolerable.
One need not be a real estate broker to see it. Properties that stayedwith the town in the tax sale just completed are doing so because theproperties are worthless. Taxes paid per acre for watershed have beenridiculously low since the requirements for us to preserve it at our costwere legislated.
Now, with inflated values attached to the revaluations, the gap is evenwider. The problem of inequity driving residents out of their homes andaway from the area has just worsened. The county and state have restrictedthe use in our geography at the same time are benefitting from the resourcefor which we are the safeguards and at our cost. We must be compensated forthis resource and/or permitted to develop public transportation, ratabledevelopment, something to offset the burden imposed upon us.
This is an unsustainable model if ever there was one. Shame on the countyand state for resting comfortably in the back seat while the fightingamongst us escalates, and at our further cost.
Robert Burr Real estate broker, Realty Executives
Hewitt