Local-purpose taxes hold steady in 2000
Lea Kahn
With very little fanfare, Township Council gave final approval to its proposed $29.5 million budget for 2000 Tuesday night.
The 2000 plan calls for spending $1.2 million more than the 1999 budget, but the local-purpose municipal tax rate will remain unchanged at 50 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a house assessed at $155,000 will pay $775 in municipal taxes the same as 1999. The tax rate will hold steady thanks to a surplus from last year and an increase in commercial tax ratables.
However, the 2000 budget contains a newly enacted 1-cent open-space tax that will generate $239,000 this year. The open-space tax will add $15.50 to the tax bill of a property owner whose house is assessed at $155,000.
The open-space tax, which voters approved in the November general election, will provide money that may be used to buy, develop, maintain or improve land for public recreation and conservation purposes. The money also may be used for historic preservation, or to pay down debt on previous land acquisitions.
There was no comment from the public or from the council concerning the budget.
Some of the $1.2 million increase in the municipal budget is due to a $355,000 increase in the capital improvement fund. This provides a down payment for bonds to build a new police/municipal court facility, and to buy one fire engine for each of the three volunteer fire companies.
Also, the budget anticipates spending $325,000 more for group health insurance premiums, and $200,000 more for employee salary increases.
Non-property tax revenues to support the budget total $17.5 million. This includes $3.9 million taken from surplus funds to balance the budget.
Property taxes account for $11.9 million in revenue. This includes $335,000 in property taxes from new ratables.
The 2000 budget includes money for one additional police officer, whose salary will be partially paid through the COPS in Schools federal grant. The Police Department employs 69 police officers and nine civilian communications operators.