The proposed West Windsor 2007 municipal budget, delivered by Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh to council on February 2, calls for a 2-cent, or 7.4 percent increase in taxes. The proposed operating budget calls for $32,”860,”000 in expenditures. $18,”524,”960.66 is intended to be raised through taxation. The average West Windsor home, assessed at 574,”800, will be required to pay $1,”666.92 in municipal taxes this year. This represents an increase of $114 over last year’s average of $1,”553 for the average home, which at that time was $575,”200.##M:[more]##
The plan includes a $3,”450,”000 appropriation from surplus required to bring the budget into balance. According to the township, this leaves $2,”639,”903 in surplus, an amount expected to help stabilize taxes in coming years.
Revenues from 2007 include 3,”108,”581.97 in state aid, an amount expected to decrease in 2008. In response to the state’s fiscal crisis, Governor Jon Corzine announced a plan to cap state aid to municipalities in the future. “”We’re all waiting to see what happens in Trenton. There has been talk of putting a four percent cap on aid to townships, but we’ll have to see what their decision is, and what exemptions apply to West Windsor. We just hope they have that decision by October so we know by the time we start working on the 2008 budget,”” said Christopher Marion, the Township’s Business Administrator.
Division heads requested $33,”465,”812.65, but those requests have been trimmed by 605,”812.65, or the equivalent of nearly one penny in the tax rate. Council will now meet with department heads in various work sessions. As a result, the budget could be cut further. “”There are usually some things we find that can be cut out, but I don’t know if we’ll be able to trim out the $600,”000 needed to reduce the tax rate by a penny,”” said Charles Morgan, a council member for the past eight years.
The first work session, on Human Services and Public Works, took place on Thursday, February 8. The next is scheduled for Tuesday, February 20, following a council agenda session. At that time, Municipal Courts, Emergency Services, and Police Department budgets will be discussed. On Thursday, March 8, at 7 p.m., Township Engineer James Parvesse will present the budget for community development, and on Monday, March 12, at 7 p.m., the final meeting, on revenues, will be held.
The final budget could be approved by council as early as Monday, April 16. All budget meetings are public, and will be held in Town Hall Room A.
