Welcome to reality

I for one am sick and tired of reading about how “we” should write to Christie to complain about the school cuts in state aid because it’s hurting the “kids.” The reason we are in this mess is simple — school districts over the years have treated the homeowners as if they were their personal ATM machine. Want a new middle school that’s only 60 percent utilized — raise property taxes, want to give teachers a 4 percent salary increase — raise property taxes, need another roof on the new school that’s only 60 percent utilized — raise property taxes, want to have every sport and after school program imaginable — raise property taxes, want to give municipal workers and teachers unbelievable benefit and pension plans — raise property taxes. The list goes on and on. As a property owner in Hardyston who already has sky high taxes I say enough is enough. When the private sector company I work for hit hard economic times they froze wages, laid off people and reduced benefits. Hardyston needs to do the same. Why should public employees be immune from the financial pain of the private sector and indeed complain when they are asked to sacrifice like the rest of us? In spite of what people say Christie is giving school districts and municipalities a strong dose of fiscal reality that the private sector has known since the recession started. If I have to make do with less I think the town and school district can also do the same. It’s time for towns to live within their means. If that means reducing staff, cutting back on wages and benefits and cutting services, well so be it — welcome to reality and the private sector world. John Scaglione Hardyston