Edison's 2008 budget: $116.2 million
By refusing to provide backup for his SFY (state fiscal year) 2008 budget of $116.2 million, Edison Mayor Jun Choi proves the half-truth about our "strong mayor- weak council" form of government. We have a weak council.

Gee, you think that with Choi's $10.1 million, or 9.5 percent, spending increase and a whopping 15 percent increase in the tax rate, the council would be a tad bit more insistent with him? You'd think the council could have at least informed the public of Choi's 15 percent tax increase when they accepted the budget back in late September, but they didn't.

Don't you just get a kick out of the political follies going on here? Mayor Jun "The Reformer" Choi, battling for truth, justice and the American way against his "Old Guard" arch enemy, the Edison Township Council. Both fighting for what's best for the residents and taxpayers of Edison. Yeah, that sounds about right - if you've been out of town for the last two years.

It's kind of ironic, though, that we have a mayor who preaches open and transparent government yet he can't seem to practice what he preaches. Whoever heard of a budget with no details? Is this how you get to what Choi means by open and transparent government?

So, let's think about this for a second. Is it those darn "Old Guard" obstructionists on the council that prevent him from putting forth his ideas, policies and vision for 2008, or is it that his ideas, policies and vision for the future can't pass the simplest public scrutiny?

Who knows? But it's important to remember what happened with Choi's SFY 2007 budget. That proposed budget had a 15.7 percent tax increase, and after public scrutiny and input, it was cut back to 8.8 percent when finally adopted by the council. Even with that reduction, the town still ended up with a surplus.

Without a credible record of translating his visions for Edison into numbers and budgets, is it now Choi's solution to just go into hiding until January 2008 and not tell the residents and taxpayers what he's up to with this budget? And why is the council not challenging Choi's frivolous explanations and allowing this to continue? Surely, the council can take immediate action to stop Choi if they so chose.

What should be most important here is Choi's public explanation and justification for a 15 percent tax increase on the backs of the already overburdened residents. If there's reason, rationale and logic behind his budget, then the residents will likely support him. If not, they won't. But without any input from Choi, no one should support it. He owes the people of this town an opportunity to have a say in whatever his plans may be - regardless of the political bickering going on with the council.

Time to pay attention now and hold Choi accountable for his $116.2 million budget; we sure can't rely on this weak council to do it and, most assuredly, don't want to leave it up to the next council.

Ralph Bucci Edison Township