The next council meeting, Tuesday, February 19, will mark the start of the budget process. Already posted on the township website are proposed budget numbers. Highlights include:
1. Overall budget is below the state-mandated 2 percent cap, and is $7,000 lower than last year’s budget. However, revenues decreased by $425,803 from 2012.
2. Total proposed expenditures are $37,317,000. Total revenue is $14,620,086. Total municipal tax levy will be $22,689,914. The average tax increase is estimated to be $36 for a home assessed at $524,000.
3. Township salaries have been increased by 1.76 percent, or $221,236, from 2012, although no new positions are funded. Other expenses decreased by .92 percent, or $228,236.
4. The capital expenditures portion of the budget totals $4,194,700, which includes $610,000 of fully funded projects; the remaining $3,584,700 in projects will be bonded.
5. A reduction in the Open Space tax from 3 cents to 2 cents per $100 assessed property value, resulting an estimated tax savings of $52 per home.
6. Based on the above, the total estimated average tax impact will be a tax savings of $16 per home.
In a letter to the WW-P News (see page 4) regarding the introduction of the budget, John Church wrote that “the state Department of Community Affairs has given us until March 15 of this year to complete the introduction/approval process. We should take advantage of that timeframe to consider changes. I’m proposing that ‘introduction’ should be postponed until the March 4 meeting, and that Council schedule at least one informal discussion session before then to allow the public time to give appropriate input.”
