Franklin's financial concerns hit home

I would like to respond to Chief Kistle’s comments regarding Franklin not having a spending problem. But rather a revenue problem. First of all I believe Chief Kistle is part of the problem that Franklin currently has. As you reported in your paper his salary is higher than other local chiefs. He is given quite a few perqs as well. He has a personal vehicle that he can use. As reported in a local bulletin, Franklin has paid for his master’s degree. He was awarded a 2.5 percent raise per year for the next three years. He has the best medical benefits paid for by the borough. I am always reading in your paper about various police officers under his supervision that are in trouble for various problems. I have heard from other residents that his department needs better supervision. Spending is a very serious problem in Franklin and needs to be addressed seriously. Property taxes have risen in Franklin over the past several years and will continue unless budgets are brought under control. No one seems to care about the people that on fixed incomes that are trying to make ends meet. No one seems to care about the widow that came to me upset because she didn’t know what she was going to do to continue affording the increases in taxes, water and sewer rates. As for his comment “the meeting was a calm one, not what he anticipated,” did he think he would have a riot on his hands? We are civilized people trying to get answers, why we are in this mess. You can put the tear gas and the swat truck away chief. James J. Marino Franklin