Groh Says Zero-Based Budgeting Would Help Lower Town Taxes

“Taxes, taxes, taxes” – that’s the issue that Republican candidate William “Matt” Groh says it the most important issue in Babylon Town, and it’s a top reason he decided to enter the race for Town Council this year.

“The untold story of this election is the fact that the current Babylon Town administration gave town taxpayers a higher increase in the general fund tax (13.82 percent) than all of the other towns on Long Island,” asserted Groh, a long-time North Babylon resident.

“When you look at the last four years, the current administration has increased our general fund and highway taxes by 35.9 percent,” he added. “If you add the projected increase in the general fund for 2012, they’ve increased taxes by 42.3 percent over a 5 year period.”

If that’s the case, then how does he propose to remedy the situation? Like his fellow Republican candidate, Tom Gargiulo, he cites zero-based budgeting as a solution to cut both taxes and spending.

“Zero-based budgeting is when you start the town’s budget at zero, not the prior year’s inflated numbers. We then identify the reasons for each expenditure in every department and operate town government like a business. If the expenditure isn’t justified, then it’s not authorized,” explained Groh, citing as an example Supervisor Bill Wilkinson’s implementation of this process in East Hampton where a 17 percent tax cut was delivered in Wilkinson’s first year.

Groh feels that holding a bachelor’s degree in accounting and law degree from Hofstra School of Law, possessing “significant experience” with auditing and performance evaluations, and holding several positions within local community service organizations – such as president of the Parkdale Civic Association, founder of Concerned Citizens for Sewers and third-degree knight, Knights of Columbus-Our Lady of the Rosary Council – will help him implement the same budgeting process in Babylon Town.

“I’m not a career politician. Like many people I'm fed up with a government that taxes too much!” he said. “I’m running because I feel I’m more qualified than our opponents to cut taxes, provide services and take our town in a new, more positive direction.”

That new direction includes creating more transparency and accountability within town government, according to Groh.

To that end, he vows to move town board meetings to the evening “so residents can attend meetings to address grievances without having to miss time from work,” and broadcast town board work sessions and meetings on TV.

“To the extent feasible we also need to attempt to negotiate an agreement with the representatives of town workers that will permit us to open town hall one day a month on Saturdays to permit residents to take care of town business and do so without having to miss time from work,” Groh said.

Lastly he, like Gargiulo, will look to “speed up the building permit process to create sustainable private-sector jobs.”

William “Matt” Groh is running for one of two seats on the Council this year. The other three candidates are challengers and current Babylon Town Planning Board Member and current Councilwoman , who’s running for re-election. Councilwoman has chosen not to seek re-election this year. Polls are open Tuesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.