Living Local Expo Nears: Freshmen Perform Julius Caesar'
Living Local Expo Nears: Freshmen Perform Julius Caesar'
Living Local Expo Nears: Freshmen Perform Julius Caesar'
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MARCH 13-19, 2013
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Spring Sports Preview
Check out the spring sports at
Lawrence High School.
Living
Local
Expo
nears
By HEATHER FIORE
The Lawrence Sun
In an effort to promote sustain-
ability throughout Mercer Coun-
ty, the nonprofit organization
Sustainable Lawrence has part-
nered with green teams from
Lawrence, Hopewell and Ewing,
as well as the Mercer County Of-
fice of Sustainable Development,
to participate in the 6th Annual
Living Local Expo.
The Expo, organized by Sus-
tainable Lawrence, will showcase
local farms and cooking demon-
strations, hands-on workshops,
demonstrations of energy-effi-
cient practices and even electric
cars, and is scheduled to be held
in the Lawrence High School
Commons on Saturday, March 23
please see EXPO, page 7
Special to The Sun
As part of its Winter Fest, The Lawrenceville Schools freshmen put on a production of Julius Caesar on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 at the
Kirby Arts Center Black Box, which was directed by Performing Arts Master Matt Campbell. For more information, go to
lawrenceville.org.
Freshmen perform Julius Caesar
2 THE LAWRENCE SUN MARCH 13-19, 2013
PROFESSIONAL WEBSITES.
PEASANT PRICES.
The Lawrence Township Police
Department has recently
switched to an automated call at-
tendant system to improve servic-
es of the police department.
When calling the main number
at (609) 896-1111, calls will be
greeted by a call attendant who
will direct callers to a specific bu-
reau, such as administration,
firearms applications, investiga-
tive division, records, traffic safe-
ty and property. If callers need to
speak to a communication dis-
patcher, they can press 0 and
the call will be transferred. There
is also a directory by officers last
names if callers need to contact a
specific officer. For emergencies,
call 9-1-1.
The Lawrence Township Police
Department continues to allow
victims to report nonviolent petty
crimes online to the police with-
out waiting for an officer to come
to the residence or having to
come to the police station. These
crimes are very minor and have
no viable suspects. They include
harassment, late motor vehicle
accidents, theft from auto, identi-
ty theft, theft, vehicle tampering,
lost property, criminal mischief
and property damage.
To file a report, visit
www.lawrencetwp.com and click
on Citizens online reporting sys-
tem.
Police switch call system
to improve services
By HEATHER FIORE
The Lawrence Sun
To give residents a clear view
of how much of the tax burden
the municipality absorbs com-
pared to the school district and
county, township manager
Richard Krawczun detailed how
the township has been left to
make reductions to account for
more than $5.5 million of lost rev-
enue over the last five years.
From 2008 to 2012, he described
how there was an increase of $3.4
million in the amount to be raised
by taxes. However, the township
experienced a total loss in rev-
enue of $8.9 million, leaving $5.5
million that it has had to absorb
in its budget.
Theres no denying taxes did
go up, Krawczun said. But, I
think its important to tell the
other side of the equation.
The other side of the equa-
tion includes the townships
$1,145,000 decrease in state aid
since 2008 from $5,127,000 to
$3,982,000 and its $7,836,000 in-
crease in tax appeals and credits,
both of which have affected the
townships ability to raise rev-
enue and generate surplus.
When we were looking at
some of this data, as many times
as I have spoken about it, it was
still profound in the impact that it
has on our fiscal condition,
Krawczun said. From 2008 to
2012, we have refunded/credited
$7.8 million in taxes. Of that, $4.1
million is given to the school dis-
trict, $2.1 million is given to the
county, and $1.6 million is given to
the municipality. Thats an as-
tounding amount of revenue to
have to absorb a decrease of.
To narrow in on how much this
impacts the township on a yearly
basis, Krawczun recapped last
years tax refunds, which amount-
ed to $1,163,000 more than
$900,000 of which was attributa-
ble to the other two taxing dis-
tricts, but which the township it-
self was required to pay in full.
He also explained how the
township only receives 21 percent
of the total taxes collected, while
the school district and county are
left with the other 79 percent 52
percent for the school and about
MARCH 13-19, 2013 THE LAWRENCE SUN 3
REPUBLICAN PRIMARY CANDIDATES NEEDED TODAY!
Column B Every Office Every District Every Year
April 1 Petition Filing
June Primary November Election
Act Busters, USA, Citizen, Liberty, Work, Tax Payer, Contraception, Secular,
Gun, Choice, Gay, Execution.
Days 609-585-4716
Bruce C. MacDonald
2011 Republican Primary Candidate
14th NJ Legislative District
Candidacy, Servitude, or War. Your Choice.
March 20th, 2013 @ 7:00PM
please see KRAWCZUN, page 6
Township manager discusses
municipalitys tax burden
4 THE LAWRENCE SUN MARCH 13-19, 2013
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Casino Night to benefit LES PTO
The Lawrenceville Elementary
School Parent Teacher Organiza-
tion will host its annual spring
fundraiser Casino Night and
Silent Auction on Saturday, April
13 at 7 p.m. to be held on the ETS
Campus, which is located at 660
Rosedale Road in Princeton.
An exciting evening of food
and fun complete with a silent
auction, this event is open to the
public. All members of the com-
munity are encouraged to attend
as the LES PTO creates a Vegas
hot spot right here at home.
Try your luck at the roulette
table or bid on more than $17,000
worth of silent auction items and
you could win a 6 series BMW
convertible for the weekend, two
nights in New York City, a week-
end in the Poconos, or your
childs next birthday party at
Bounce U. There will be some-
thing for everyone from bidding
and betting to delicious food and
open bar catered by Emily's Caf.
Funds raised at Casino Night
will benefit enrichment pro-
grams at LES. Last years funds
afforded the children the opportu-
nity to enhance their learning by
going on field trips and hosting
special assemblies.
Tickets are $28 and must be
purchased in advance beginning
Feb. 25. To purchase tickets, visit
eventbrite/LEScasinonight.com.
For more information, please
visit lawrencevillepto.com or
email Liz Omilinsky, event chair,
at [email protected].
Alcoholics Anonymous
of South Jersey
(856) 486-4444
PSA
Narcotics Anonymous
of New Jersey
(800) 992-0401
PSA
National Suicide
Prevention Lifeline
(800) 273-8255
PSA
MARCH 13-19, 2013 THE LAWRENCE SUN 5
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INTERIOR RENOVATION SPECIALISTS
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Skip the hassle. Just get paid.
Spring is just around the cor-
ner. Now is the time to think
about pruning your trees. Gary
Mount, owner of Terhune Or-
chards, is offering a free pruning
class in his orchards on Saturday,
March 16 at 11 a.m. Mount is fre-
quently asked for his advice on
pruning and other practices in
the orchards. He has taught sever-
al classes and given numerous
lectures and tours.
Any time in March or early
April is the right time to prune
your fruit trees so that they will
have a bumper crop this year,
said Mount, who will demon-
strate good pruning techniques
and equipment that the home
owner can use on both standard
sized and dwarf apple trees,
peach trees and pear trees.
Mount will explain how he
prunes trees and answer ques-
tions out in the orchards. He will
also discuss new varieties of fruit
trees suitable for planting by the
homeowner and the difference be-
tween various rootstocks. Ter-
hune Orchards own cider and
donuts will be served as refresh-
ments.
Everyone is welcome for this
free class, which will be held rain
or shine at the farm at 330 Cold
Soil Road in Lawrence Township.
For further information or direc-
tions, call (609) 924-2310 or visit
the farms website at terhuneor-
chards.com.
Terhune Orchards farm mar-
ket is open Monday through Fri-
day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat-
urday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. The winery tasting room is
open noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays
and Sundays. Follow Terhune on
Facebook and Twitter.
Matthew Hinson, a resident of
Lawrence, was named to the
deans list at Villanova University
for the fall 2012 semester.
Anthony Cerone, a resident of
Lawrenceville, was named to the
deans list at Villanova University
for the fall 2012 semester.
Ryan Babcock, a resident of
Lawrenceville, was named to the
deans list at Villanova University
for the fall 2012 semester.
Free tree pruning class planned
on campus
Addiction Hotline
of New Jersey
(800) 238-2333
PSA
6 THE LAWRENCE SUN MARCH 13-19, 2013
1330 Route 206, Suite 211
Skillman, NJ 08558
609-751-0245
The Sun is published weekly by Elauwit
Media LLC, 1330 Route 206, Suite 211,
Skillman, NJ 08558. It is mailed weekly to
select addresses in the 08648 ZIP code.
If you are not on the mailing list, six-month
subscriptions are available for $39.99. PDFs
of the publication are online, free of charge.
For information, please call 609-751-0245.
To submit a news release, please email
[email protected]. For advertising
information, call 609-751-0245 or email
[email protected]. The Sun
welcomes suggestions and comments from
readers including any information about
errors that may call for a correction to be
printed.
SPEAK UP
The Sun welcomes letters from readers.
Brief and to the point is best, so we look for
letters that are 300 words or fewer. Include
your name, address and phone number. We
do not print anonymous letters. Send letters
to [email protected], via fax at 609-
751-0245, or via the mail. Of course, you can
drop them off at our office, too.
The Lawrence Sun reserves the right to
reprint your letter in any medium includ-
ing electronically.
PUBLISHER Steve Miller
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Tim Ronaldson
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES Joe Eisele
MANAGING EDITOR Mary L. Serkalow
PRODUCTION EDITOR Kristen Dowd
LAWRENCE EDITOR Heather Fiore
ART DIRECTOR Tom Engle
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Russell Cann
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Barry Rubens
VICE CHAIRMAN Michael LaCount, Ph.D.
ELAUWIT MEDIA GROUP
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Dan McDonough, Jr.
EDITOR EMERITUS Alan Bauer
A
tlantic City, one of this states
most lucrative tourist attrac-
tions, is struggling mightily.
Competition from casinos in neighbor-
ing Pennsylvania and Delaware have
slowly, but steadily, dealt huge blows to
our Shores revenue stream.
Revel casino, which opened its doors
a little more than a year ago, said re-
cently that it was filing for Chapter 11
bankruptcy. In February, the Trump
Plaza casino sold for the lowest price
ever paid for an Atlantic City casino
$20 million.
Gov. Christie, and a contingent of
politicians in New Jersey, have recog-
nized that this is a dire situation for At-
lantic City and, in no small part, to the
states economy. To reverse the trend,
these politicians have tried, so far un-
successfully, to turn to betting on
sports.
New Jersey, along with every state
except four Nevada, Delaware, Ore-
gon and Montana are banned from of-
fering wagering on sports, stemming
from a 1992 federal law. But Christie
and his supporters are hoping to over-
turn that.
They believe that it is unfair and un-
constitutional to prohibit the Garden
State from accepting sports bets, while
Las Vegas, in particular, reaps all the
rewards. We already have full-fledged
casinos, they say, so why not allow us
to have sports betting, too?
To stop New Jersey from offering
sports wagering, the NFL, NBA, NHL,
Major League Baseball and the NCAA
sued New Jersey last year to prohibit
the practice, and recently, a judge up-
held the ban on sports gambling in the
state. Christie says he will appeal the
decision, and we applaud his efforts.
Sports wagering is a harmless prac-
tice, or, at the very least, is no more
harmful than a bet in blackjack, roul-
lette, let it ride, or any other casino
game that is currently offered in At-
lantic City. So why the continued ban?
New Jerseys gaming industry needs
sports wagering. Its a booming sector
of the industry, much like poker was a
few years back. Billions of dollars each
year are bet legally on sports in Ne-
vada, and estimates say illegal sports
wagering through bookies or off-
shore websites might total hundreds
of billions more.
So why not allow Atlantic City, New
Jersey, and the United States, earn that
taxable income? It just makes sense.
in our opinion
Ball is in New Jerseys court
Christie says hell appeal judges sports gambling decision
Feeling lucky?
What are your thoughts on making
sports gambling legal in New Jersey? Is
it something our governor should
continue to fight for? Or is he, and
others, taking it too far?
27 percent for the county.
Krawczun also took the three districts
2012 tax levies and compared them to the
2012 municipal budget, which showed that
the school levy of $59.4 million exceeded
the total budget of the township approxi-
mately $44 million by $15 million.
Yet, the school collected more in taxes
than we did in total budget expenditures
by $15 million, he said. Thats not a small
amount.
He also noted how the school district
and county have exclusions from the 2-per-
cent cap in regard to the tax levy, some-
thing the municipality doesnt have and
also has to absorb if the school and county
exceed the cap.
Its important to recognize that, yes,
taxes have gone up, but we have taken a
major blow on the revenue side, Krawczun
said. We have refinanced debt, cut staff
and have a new police contract over the
next three years, so there have been a lot of
things that have been taking place. We have
been seeing it and we did anticipate it.
Since the township has been taking nu-
merous measures to account for this
shortfall in the budget, Krawczun noted
how residents should be turning to the
school district and county to alleviate the
problem.
I understand that people are frustrated;
I get that, he said. But, I also think its
important that theres a good level of objec-
tivity, that everyone steps back and gives
some review to understand where their tax
dollars are going and how they are being
spent. As you can see, 79 percent of the
taxes collected are spent by the other two
taxing districts.
KRAWCZUN
Continued from page 3
Krawczun: Turn to school district, county over budget
Visit us online at www.lawrencesun.com
MARCH 13-19, 2013 THE LAWRENCE SUN 7
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CLASSIFIED MARCH 13-19, 2013 - THE LAWRENCE SUN 11
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