The 2026 Muni-Budget of $181.8m is Too Much of a Financial Burden for Too Little a Benefit - Just like Mayor Sam 'Furlough Folly' Joshi

 Well,  Mayor Sam 'Furlough Folly' Joshi's 2026 Introduced Muni-budget of $181.8m comes with a Muni-tax rate of 1.558, which is up 6.6-cents or 4.42% over last year's 1.492.

If this guy continues to believe he works for Joshi and not the People of Edison and won’t get the information other Council Members need to properly do their due diligence and bring transparency and accountability to the 2026 budget, then the Council should, by default, just take that already increased and built-in bloated 2026 budget and cut 3% from every department and line item (and let them sort it out) and that will basically eliminate the tax increase and it won’t matter to the functioning of the town at all.

If they don’t do something like that and let this budget go through without the proper transparency and accountability, then you need to recognize the need for Wards is here in this politically-corrupt one-party town.

Anyhoo, if this town ever went to Zero-based budgeting, we'd all get a Big Fat Tax Reduction!

Who's a Bad...Bad Boy?!?

 Well, Who does something like that just to avoid showing what's in his Ridiculously Bloated Budget? Geez, it's true - 'only in Edison would a Mayor use employees and residents as pawns to create drama to force an unnecessary tax increase.'

How far down the gutter do we let this town go?

Anyhoo, the first thing that ought to be cut down in this budget is this guy's ridiculous salary of $198,000. You'd expect more from someone making that kind of money.

Mayor Sam 'Bubble-boy' Joshi's Ridiculous $pending $181.8m Muni Budget that comes with a 4.4% tax increase

 Well, here you go - Up on the townships's website with Public Meeting scheduled for July 22, 2026. 

Don't expect his 'Pocket Council' to do anything but approve it after he stacked the audience at the Budget Introduction meeting when he put word out that there would be cuts to police, fire and youth organizations if the budget wasn't approved.

Barf!

Can You Say Wards!

Top 10 Reasons Why You Gotta Like 'Mayor Sam 'Bubble-boy' Joshi's 2026 Muni Budget Process

10. Because you like Not seeing a Muni-budget adopted until 7 months into the calendar year are over. Why not wait a little longer and we'll have the actuals and won't need a budget. 

9. Because you're getting use to getting 3r Qtr. (August) Estimated tax bills. Those are always fun.

8. Because you like when the Council (Keeper of the Purse Strings) doesn't get a budget book from 'Bubble-boy' until a few days before the Budget Introduction meeting and they let him get away with it.

7. Because you like how 'Bubble-boy' has the Intro meeting stacked by indicating that any reduction in his 4.4% tax hike may cause manpower reductions in police and fire.

6. Because you like how Council President Joe 'the Florist' Coyle, aka Mayor of Clara Barton, Poster-child for Wards and Joe 180 thinks he works for the Mayor on adopting this budget.

5. Because you like 'Bubble-boy' Not Presenting his 2026 Muni-budget to the Council just like last year. Can't or won't defend what's in this budget. Just trying to pass it through with his 'Pocket Council.'

4. Because you like giving 'Bubble-boy' a 'Pocket Council' to pass his Dem-party nonsense onto you. Clearly, with a $181m budget, Nothing to see here - there's nothing in there that can be cut.

3. Because there are No Checks and Balances in this town and the Council is expected to Introduce the 2026 Budget without any time for due diligence before they own it to change or not change it.

2. Because you live in a politically-corrupt town and they'll do what they want until you do something about it. 

1. Because you have an Unqualified Mayor being protected by a Dem-party Council and You Lose again with this Ridiculous Spending budget. We don't need a Council, we need a DOGE.

Edison 2026 $181.8m Muni-budget - comes with a tax rate of 1.558, which is up 6.6-cents or 4.42% over last year's 1.492

 Well, saw the agenda for the combined Council Meeting next week and it has the Intro 2026 Muni-budget. Haven't seen the budget yet but from the agenda you can see what happens to the tax rate with this Muni-budget.

Here's the calculations:

Here's what the tax increase means for the Muni and Library tax if you live in that imaginary home assessed at 186,900 and if you don't - take your home's assessed value divided by 100 and multiply it by .066 and that will give you your Muni tax increase and by 1.558 to get your total Muni-tax. 

Anyhoo, another in a long line of Ridiculous Budgets in a politically-corrupt town that favors the Dem-party interests at the expense of the Residents.

2025 Taxpayers Guide to Education Spending - Ratio of Students to Classroom Teachers and Median Salary

 Well, here's the Ratio and Median Salary for Middlesex County:

Here's to Ratio and Median Salary for the Top 25 Schools in the State:

Anyhoo, it is what it is here in the DemBadLands of Downtown Edison.

JP Stevens Hall of Honor - Class of 2026

 Well, Congratulations to all the nominees and selections. Shout-out to Andrew Toth, Chief, Edison Division of Fire.