Princeton Packet
30 September 1981

editorials
Squad deserves borough’s support

It is difficult to believe that Princeton Borough simply cannot come up with a satisfactory and permanent arrangement whereby the paid daytime crew of the rescue squad can be continued.

Mayor Robert Cawley maintains that it is a misapprehension in some circles that the borough agreed to meet the continuing needs of a paid squad when it appropriated money for the first year of operation. It may be a misapprehension, as the mayor contends, but it certainly is an understandable one.

It would have been ridiculous to presume that several crewmen would be hired and a new system installed just for one year. Perhaps there was no such written agreement, but there is ample reason for anyone to have presumed the borough was in the agreement to stay.

The township assumed two-thirds of the program’s cost for this year, but the borough came up with a donation of $5,000. about $3,000 less than what was needed. An emergency appropriation at the 11th hour has rescued the program until the end of the year, but then problems will arise.

Borough Council should take a hard look at its budget. The borough admittedly has a problem, but from somewhere there must be enough to keep this worthwhile service afloat. A pay-as-you-receive service simply is not satisfactory. It would interfere with the squad’s fund-raising which keeps the nighttime program in operation.

Something will have to give when budget time arrives for next year. It should not be the daytime rescue squad service.