Followup: No Soup! Just Boxed Lunches...While Union County has received a monetary shot-in-the-arm from the Obama Administration's Federal Stimulus program-- Garwood, along with two other county towns, have all but been left out of the cash wind-fall.
In an exclusive examination of the recent stimulus offerings Garwood 365 has found that residents of the borough will not be enjoying much of the infrastructure improvements that other towns in the County will be receiving. In fact, other than countywide human services programs that benefit all Union County residents, like unemployment programs and foreclosure assistance, the Borough will not see much in the way of federal help.
However, in a telephone interview, a County spokesperson said unlike Clark and New Providence which won't be receiving any direct benefits from the feds, Garwood will be getting tangible items from Obama dollars: Boxed Lunches.
So, while Rahway gets Downtown improvements, Cranford gets drainage assistance, Plainfield gets new roads, and Winfield gets new sidewalks--- and while 22 million dollars will trickle down to Berkeley Heights, Elizabeth, Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside, Roselle Park, Scotch Plains, Springfield, Summit, Union, Westfield, Roselle, and Hillside-- Garwood will get boxed lunches.
The spokesperson for the County went on to explain the stimulus dollars will buy boxed lunches that will be handed out to the elderly-in-need at the Garwood Senior Center, part of the funding supplied to Meals on Wheels.
The close examination of stimulus funds came last week after Union County Officials boasted that the County will see a large infusion of cash from the federal stimulus.
So, for Garwood, it appears, the only real question- other than, "how did the borough get left out?"- is "mustard or mayo on your boxed sandwich?"
JM---you also left out that I told you that Garwood may also receive some stimulus funding to repave certain roads that pass through it. While I did not have that information available, I will check later this week for you.
ReplyDeleteI wish you would put your story into a proper perspective than comparing yourself unfairly to bigger cities such as Rahway and Hillside that have far different issues than a small, suburban town such as garwood. As a point of reference garwood received a similiar stimulus amount to fanwood, a similiarly sized municipality. Fanwood may have received some more due to some County roads it shares with Plainfield.
Had you asked, I would have told you that this past year, Garwood did very well in receiving more than $85,000 in federal CDBG grant funds--outside the stimulus---that will be used for senior transportation program, a senior citizens program, the senior citizen handyman program, and automated access and parking at the municipal facility. More than 1,4000 Garwood seniors also used the paratransit service the County offers, which is funded through various sources.
that still doesnt add up to the $4 million county portion attributable to GW by way of taxes and indirect revenues. Just because the county passes through federal moneies doesnt make us indebted to the county becaseu they passed it to us.
ReplyDeleteAnd i like how delia says the word "may" like its in stone. Kind of like the phrase "sebastian d'elia 'may' be arrested for corruption".