[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 82 (Friday, May 1, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE FISCAL IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ON THE TOWN 
                         OF CLINTON, NEW JERSEY

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                          HON. TOM MALINOWSKI

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 1, 2020

  Mr. MALINOWSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
devastating impact the coronavirus pandemic continues to have on the 
Town of Clinton, New Jersey and many local governments throughout my 
district and the country. The coronavirus has decimated local revenues 
and increased costs and only Congress can provide a lifeline to small 
towns through direct and flexible funding.
  As a mayor of a small town in NJ I am not only worried about my 
current year's revenue loss but also the implication of that lost 
revenue on my 2021 budget. We cannot anticipate in a future year more 
revenue that we actually brought in. What we do anticipate is probably 
a 15-20 percent reduction in miscellaneous revenue (which is 
approximately one quarter of my total revenue)--this would include our 
court fees, permitting, Energy Tax Receipts, hotel/motel occupancy fees 
as well as UCC fees. What does this mean? Services may have to be cut 
back or eliminated that residents count on, we would not furlough 
employees because this is not a savings for a small town like ours--we 
are a ``pay as you go'' unemployment. Any employees we lay off we would 
still be responsible for the two-thirds of the salary.
  What communities like Clinton need to have is the ability to replace 
the lost revenue in the line items so that we do not see a longer term 
impact with future budget years.
  I know that I am not alone in my concerns and other mayors are 
struggling to manage--we work with slim margins and any reduction 
creates havoc with municipal budgets and tough decisions that impact 
our residents.

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