Robbinsville Township Council recently adopted the $25.7 million 2022 municipal budget.
After nine consecutive years of either flat or reduced municipal taxes, this year’s spending plan contains a proposed municipal increase to 53.9 cents per every $100 of assessed value—up from 51.8 cents.
That translates to an approximately $79 municipal increase per household in 2022. The average assessed home value in Robbinsville is $378,600. A penny in the Robbinsville tax rate is worth $265,905.75.
Municipal taxes make up only 20 percent of a township resident’s overall tax bill. Schools accounted for 56 percent, Mercer County absorbed 21 percent, and the Mercer County Library and Mercer County Open Space taxes combined for 3 percent in 2021.
“This was probably the most difficult budget we’ve ever had, following an unprecedented two years dealing with the pandemic and all the challenges that came along with it,” said Mayor David Fried. “No one likes paying more taxes, and we did everything we possibly could to minimize it. Robbinsville has been a Mercer County leader in tax stabilization over the past 10 years. We feel the extremely high quality of the services we offer, along with a year-over-year decrease in spending from 2021, help from the American Rescue Plan and over $700,000 in reduced debt, will help us stay on track moving forward.”
Township services have increased nearly across the board, while spending was slashed by $289,000 from 2021 and overall Township debt reduced by $709,000.
The $1.5 million in funds acquired via the American Rescue Plan Act is being earmarked for revenue replacement, including substantial pandemic-related losses in court costs and construction permit fees.
Robbinsville Township also has been very aggressive in pursuing Federal, State and other grants. Robbinsville has secured over $1 million in funds from the state Department of Transportation, for road work, along with another $1.35 million FEMA grant to hire four new firefighters.
Virtually the entire increase was comprised of increased costs in pension contributions, health insurance benefits and the purchase of a new fire engine ($879,000).
“Budgets are always very challenging, anyone who runs a household understands that all too well,” Council President Mike Cipriano said. “(Administrator) Joy (Tozzi), (CFO) Debbie (Bauer) and the other department heads have done another outstanding job, under extremely difficult circumstances, getting us to this place.”
The Robbinsville Township municipal building. Robbinsville plans to sell the building if plans to lease the former Investors Bank building next door come to fruition. (Staff photo by Rob Anthes.)// <
