Much-needed state aid arrives in Jamesburg

Munic. taxes stabilized
while other aspects
of tax bills increase

By tara petersen
Staff Writer

Munic. taxes stabilized
while other aspects
of tax bills increase
By tara petersen
Staff Writer

JAMESBURG — Residents will not see an increase in their municipal taxes for 2003, borough officials announced last week.

The municipal budget was amended at a special meeting July 10 in order to include $205,000 in state extraordinary aid that the borough now expects to receive.

Borough Business Administrator and Chief Financial Officer Denise Jawidzik said the aid will save taxpayers around 9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. Without the aid, taxes for the owner of property assessed at the borough average of $122,000 would have gone up by about $107.

"I’m thrilled about the aid. It’s about time our taxpayers got a break, considering what they’ll be paying at the school level," Jawidzik said.

School taxes are proposed to increase by 41.2 cents.

The Jamesburg Borough Council trimmed about 2 cents off the original 43-cent increase in May after voters defeated the school budget in the April school election.

According to Jawidzik, property taxpayers in the borough can anticipate a 1-cent and 2-cent increase for fire services and county taxes, respectively, with an overall increase of 44.2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

The collective increases will bring the total tax rate from $3.71 to $4.16, which amounts to a hike of about $450 on the average home.

The school budget for the previous year carried an increase of 32 cents. Combined with this year’s 41-cent hike, the average household will see an increase of $880 in just two years.

Previous school budget cuts had resulted in the elimination of several positions for next year, including four teachers, a vice principal, two librarians, a custodian and a secretary.

The district also cut funds for after-school programs and sports.

Jamesburg’s two schools are expected to enroll 642 students next year, according to documents provided by the school district.

Another 50 students in K-8 will be sent out of district.

Seven additional students will be sent to Monroe Township High School on a paid tuition basis, bringing that total to 215 students in grades 9-12.

School Business Administrator Tom Reynolds has said that special education costs, tuition payments to Monroe and employee health benefits are accounting for "the biggest chunk" of the increased expenses.

Tuition to attend high school in Monroe will increase from $12,260 last year to $12,628.

Jawidzik said that the freezing of state aid two years ago is at the heart of the problem with the overall increase in property taxes.

"This year there was a minimal increase, but not enough to make a difference. The costs are going up, but the aid is the same. It’s killing us," she said.

The state kept its aid to municipalities static two years ago because of the severe budget deficit at the state level.

Mayor Anthony LaMantia was pleased, however, to learn that the discretionary aid for the municipal budget will be enough to keep municipal tax increases at bay.

"It was unexpected [to get that much]. We got most of what we applied for," he said.

LaMantia said it is normal to expect less aid than the $250,000 received from the state last year.

"We’re working our way off it," he said, noting that the municipalities have been told to wean themselves from assistance.

According to a New Jersey Department of Community Affairs press release, in order to receive such aid, "applicants must demonstrate that, despite their efforts to provide tax savings, the municipality has experienced circumstances beyond its control that warrant aid."

LaMantia said there is not a lot they can do to bring tax relief, given that the borough is "98 percent developed."

However, he said they should see more revenue from a few businesses coming into town.

He cited the Forsgate project and the new CVS Pharmacy as examples.

"It’s a [tax] ratable coming on line with no real outgoing," LaMantia said.

When asked about the possibility of adding age-restricted housing — which is generally seen as a positive tax ratable — the mayor said, "We are looking toward seeing if we could turn some of the apartments into age-restricted [units]" as people move out.

"We are constantly looking for different ways to get the taxes down," he said.

LaMantia has said that the current municipal budget is as tight as it can be without affecting services to residents.

"We didn’t cut any services because we’re down to a bare-bones budget as it is," he said. "Everything in it is what we have to have."