Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) was presented at the Jan. 16 meeting of the Gloucester County Board of Supervisors. The plan was prepared by a committee appointed by the county administrator and included supervisors.

It would be in the best interest of Gloucester taxpayers to review the CIP. The projects selected for recommendation and those deferred are listed; the information is available in the presentation materials. Just as important, but not available, is the criteria used to make the selections and prioritize the projects.

Although the criteria for review were not provided, the mindset behind the plan is partially revealed in statements concerning funding. The plan calls for 30 cents of the personal property tax rate to be split between county and school for vehicles. This is a very bad precedent. Earmarked funds tend to lose critical review over time as they become entrenched. The actual need for vehicles should be reviewed every year, as wel...