West Windsor municipal budget could rise 5.6 percent

Revenues are down and non-discretionary costs are up.

By: Gwen Runkle
   WEST WINDSOR — Although "make due with less" was the theme for township administrators as they crafted a preliminary budget for 2003, taxpayers are again being asked to endure an increase in property taxes.
   Currently, the administration is proposing a $26.6 million budget, which represents a $1.4 million or 5.6-percent increase over last year’s budget of $25.2 million.
   The proposed budget would carry a tax rate of 53.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value — a 6.5-cent increase over the current rate of 47 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
   With the proposed rate, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $240,860 would pay $1,289 in municipal taxes — an increase of $157 or 13.9 percent over the current year.
   "We know a 6.5-cent increase is awful, especially in these tough times," said Barbara Evans, township business administrator. "But our revenues are down and our non-discretionary costs — costs we can’t do anything about, like utilities, insurance, telephone service, etc. — are way up."
   According to Ms. Evans, revenues are down about $500,000 from last year, due to shortfalls in anticipated interest, aid and permit returns, while non-discretionary costs are up $1.1 million, the bulk of which is due to rising health insurance costs — up 33 percent, she said.
   "Our township is entering a period where we’re not experiencing growth," she said. "For instance, lots of permits were issued but not for things like building a home or business or sewer connection. It was mostly add-ons and smaller things like that. It’s just been a bad year with the economy tanking.
   "But we are pinching tighter," Ms. Evans continued. "We have deferred hiring replacements for people retiring, have centralized purchasing and have trimmed about $20,000 from our discretionary costs. We are definitely running a tight ship where we can."
   Ms. Evans said the township has tried to keep salaries and wages in check as best it can. According to the preliminary budget, salaries and wages are increasing by about $600,000.
   Contracts with three of the township’s labor unions, covering office workers, supervisory employees and the rank-and-file officers of the police department, are still being negotiated.
   And not all increases in expenses were unanticipated. Ms. Evans said the township did prepare for an $80,000 increase in debt service.
   The Township Council is expected to discuss the proposed budget at an 8 p.m. budget workshop March 4 in the Municipal Building on Clarksville Road.