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April 27, 2019 – May 3, 2019 Photo By Shutterstock
Editor’s Note: This is a Shutterstock image as photographs of the crime scene were not available as of press time.
Woodland Facing ‘Really Significant’ Increase in Taxes By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
KENNEL–SAGA SEQUEL Neighbor of Woman Arrested Last Year for Animal Cruelty Facing Similar Charges Related to 20 Dogs on Her Property By Douglas D. Melegari Staff Writer
SHAMONG—Residents of Shamong Township are reeling after a second substantial case of alleged animal cruelty in the municipality has come to light in less than a year, with the latest incident having reportedly occurred next door to the site of the previous one. Detectives from the New Jersey State Police Red Lion Station responded to the Oakshade Road residence of Marissa Corbett, 39, of Shamong, on April 16 to assist the Burlington County Health Department with an inspection of the premises. It was there, the agency said in a statement, that officials found 20 dogs living in deplorable and inhumane conditions. Corbett was charged last week with one count of third-degree animal cruelty, 19 counts of fourth-degree animal cruelty, and 40 disorderly persons counts related to animal cruelty. She was released with a pending court date. “When detectives arrived, they observed evidence of animal cruelty inflicted upon the dogs on the property,” state police wrote. “The odor of animal feces and ammonia permeated the inside of the residence, which caused several of the first responders to experience dizziness and nausea.” According to the authorities, five of the dogs were in critical condition and had to be transported to an emergency veterinary clinic. One of the five dogs later died as a result of an illness. “The remaining dogs were transported to
the Burlington County Animal Shelter to be Burlington County Health Department inspector. However, another provision in the law allows evaluated and treated,” state police noted in authorities to inspect a property in Shamong if their report. someone is suspected of maintaining 15 or more State police said the dogs found on the dogs, regardless of whether they applied for a property were of various breeds and that permit. Corbett was maintaining a boarding and training Four of the dogs found alive during the business there. inspection of where Roberts was living at the time Some of the circumstances of the Corbett were determined to be in critical condition and case are very similar to one involving Donna had to be transported to an emergency veterinary Roberts, who gradually transformed a Shamong clinic. The remaining dogs were evaluated and Township residence, also on Oakshade Road, treated at the scene. into a kennel from 2008 to 2018 and was arrested The prosecutor, in the court filing, confirmed in November 2018 after investigators found 44 that one of the rescued dogs had dead dogs and 161 others being kept since died. in substandard conditions. Ernie Lazos, who purchased The discovery of dead and a home in August of last year abused dogs in the Roberts case on Kingswood Road, about came after New Jersey State Police five acres away from Roberts’ detectives responded to her home former kennel, and led the effort at the time to assist the Burlington for something to be done about County Health Department with an the complaints against her, told inspection of the premises. the Pine Barrens Tribune on That inspection came six days April 23 that Corbett’s property Corbett after Shamong Township officials is next door to the one Roberts passed a law requiring township property owners was using for her kennel. to register with the municipality for a special permit “Were they in cahoots, or were they working once they have 15 or more dogs that are six months together?” Lazos asked. “I just don’t know.” old or older on their property. He claimed Roberts moved from the location Its passage followed years of complaints, which shortly after the charges were filed by state ramped up in late 2017, about the residence that had police, but does occasionally return to the site been turned into a kennel. to visit family members living there now. Under the Shamong law now adopted, a “What happened was we had heard dogs permit can only be issued to an applicant after an inspection of the premises involved by a licensed See KENNEL/ Page 21
WOODLAND—Residents of Woodland Township are not only facing the first local-purpose tax increase in nine years, but potentially a “really significant” one. Township Auditor Kevin Frenia said during an April 15 Woodland Township Committee meeting that a proposed 22-cent increase in the municipal tax levy is the result of former Republican Gov. Chris Christie reducing Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program contributions to the municipality, flat state aid over the last several years, declining ratables (from numerous foreclosures, along with state land purchases) over the last decade and Pinelands Commission restrictions on building new infrastructure in the Pinelands. “There is a 22-cent tax increase, which is a really significant tax increase,” he said. “If we don’t do anything, I don’t know how we are going to fund budgets going forward. We really have no additional revenues. The amount of construction happening in the Pinelands is very limited. They also cut back on our PILOT funding.” Frenia added that the loss of revenue did not have an immediate impact on the local purpose tax for the past nine years because the municipality used surplus money to make up for it. However, he noted that the municipal fund balance is running too low to continue using it for this year’s municipal budget. “In 2014, our surplus was $1.1 million,” he said. “In 2018, our surplus is $600,000. I am becoming very concerned that we will no longer be able to fund the budget with surplus…I don’t think we can wait any longer.” The state, in 1977, established the PILOT program to provide annual payments to municipalities that have a loss of tax revenue due to the presence of state-owned properties, which are tax-exempt. Since numerous parcels in Woodland were acquired by the state over the last two decades for open-space preservation, and thereby removed from the tax rolls, the loss of PILOT funding is hurting the township more than any other factor. Christie, in 2010, reduced the amount paid to municipalities through the PILOT program by one-third and required that payments to towns with preserved open space be based off pre-2010 preserved open space acreage. Over the past nine years, since his decision, the number of preserved open-space parcels has increased statewide. “I want to make something rather clear to the residents: this is a substantial tax increase,” said Township Committeeman Matthew Henrich. “It sucks and is horrible. One reason we have this situation is because Gov. Christie cut it (PILOT finding) by a third back in 2010. This was supposed to be money coming to us forever. It is unconstitutional what he actually did.” See WOODLAND/ Page 10
INDEX
Calendar............................ 12 Jobs................................... 20 Opinion................................ 7 Dental Column................... 11 Health................................ 11 Here's My Card.................. 16
Leo the Lion....................... 18 Scanner............................... 6 Local News.......................... 4 Senior Column..................... 8
Hobbyist............................ 15 Marketplace....................... 19 Worship Directory................ 9
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