Matt Skoufalos
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On the article 'Team Collingswood' Sweeps as Challengers' Bids Fall Short
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On the article What’s the Going Rate for a Lawn Service in Collingswood?
Matt Skoufalos
1:49 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
ReplyShameless plug here for my hard-working friends at A Force of Nature Landscaping:
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On the article 'Team Collingswood' Sweeps as Challengers' Bids Fall Short
Matt Skoufalos
12:43 am on Thursday, May 16, 2013
ReplyWhoa gang, let's dial it back. We can't have that stuff in here. Please find a way to make your point without personal attacks.
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On the article Collingswood Election Results
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On the article What Is Net Debt and How Does It Affect Collingswood's Financial Picture?
Matt Skoufalos
1:54 am on Saturday, May 11, 2013
Well, would you believe the state of New Jersey, because I linked to it above:
40A:2-44. Deductions from gross debts (i.e., things that get you to that net debt number)
http://law.onecle.com/new-jersey/40a-municipalities-and-counties/2-44.html
"40A:2-44. There shall be deducted from the gross debt of the local unit, to the extent included therein, the amount of bonds or notes issued and authorized but not issued: c. for purposes which are self-liquidating as provided in this chapter."
Self-liquidating:
http://statutes.laws.com/new-jersey/title-40a/section-40a-2/40a-2-47
These are state statutes. Any issue with this being a legal mechanism is not a matter of opinion, it's written into law.
Furthermore, what incentive to distort things? You believe that a guy who has an established auditing practice for years with multiple local governments—whose career carries really stiff legal penalties for lying—is going to stake his professional reputation on an article in "a small-time news website"?
You want to poke holes in the reporting because you disagree with the conclusion, have fun with that. But your own argument isn't even internally consistent.
And by the way, even with our "limited resources," this is the only reporting around on the subject.
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On the article Letter: Valuable Collingswood Land Sold for a Song
Matt Skoufalos
12:00 am on Friday, May 10, 2013
Thanks for weighing in. You can read my explanation below.
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On the article What Is Net Debt and How Does It Affect Collingswood's Financial Picture?
Matt Skoufalos
9:35 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
If you're interested in the most up-to-date information, all the ELEC reports for 2013 are supposed to be on the Election Commission website Thursday after 10 a.m.
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On the article What Is Net Debt and How Does It Affect Collingswood's Financial Picture?
Matt Skoufalos
9:19 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
So the problem is that we spoke to someone who is *too* familiar with the specific financials of the borough? Wouldn't a more likely argument be that someone who has been a public auditor for 43 years would have raised a flag about these things somewhere along the way, were they dangerous, rather than compromise his reputation—and additional business—for failing to prevent a problem?
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On the article 308 Local Runners Cross the Broad Street Run Finish Line
Matt Skoufalos
5:14 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The community would only focus on "who beat whom" if the community chose to interpret the information that way. If you want to exult in their accomplishments, that's probably a healthier way to regard this information.
But a slow news day? When 308 members of a Patch town do anything, it's news.
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On the article What Is Net Debt and How Does It Affect Collingswood's Financial Picture?
Matt Skoufalos
3:30 pm on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
On this subject, we wanted to get someone with the most intimate knowledge of the borough's bookkeeping practices. I understand that there is some self-interest on the part of Mr. Petroni because of course he doesn't provide this service for free. But truly, we wanted an explanation of the mechanism of net debt calculation, and I feel like he was suited to provide some context in the specific details of Collingswood. I know that Mr. Petroni also provides this service for several other municipal governments, so it's not like he is ignorant of the mechanics in other circumstances.
Matt Skoufalos
1:43 am on Sunday, May 19, 2013
I'm just asking for there to be a talk about the issues and not the personalities. Joe's views are certainly on record. Let's try to keep the discussions civil.