LARE: CHRISTIE MOVING IN RIGHT DIRECTION

Local leaders are having the chance to respond to a 33-bill package that Gov. Chris Christie presented earlier this week. It would cap tax increases to 2.5 percent for municipalities, but would also provide a “tool kit” for municipal leaders to get their expenses under control, like the option of leaving the state’s civil service commission to make it more easy to layoff workers. Lower Township Mayor Deputy Mayor Kevin Lare believes Christie is going in the right direction. Lower Township made drastic moves to get their budget increase down to a no-tax increase. Lare said that government has been outgrowing the people who fund it, and it is time to reel back in the spending.