City spending plan includes $1 million in grant money

Bordentown City’s proposed $4.9 million budget includes a 6-cent tax increase per $100 of assessed property value.

By: Scott Morgan
   BORDENTOWN CITY — The City Commission Monday introduced its 2005 budget plan, which if approved would add an additional $63 to the tax bill for a property assessed at the city average.
   The $4.9 million budget is a little over $1 million higher than last year’s budget of $3.86 million and carries a 6-cent tax increase per $100 of assessed property value. To the owner of the city-average $105,000 house, the new tax rate of $1.206 per $100 would mean a tax payment of $1,266 if the budget passes.
   Mayor John W. Collom III said the increase in the overall budget is due to approximately $1 million in grants from state and county agencies, which pay for everything from historic preservation initiatives and open space acquisition to public works projects and road repairs. The remaining $42,000 in additional spending in the budget, Mayor Collom said, is largely due to increased salaries for employees in all departments.
   Overall, he said, about 1.5 cents of the 6-cent increase is related salaries. The remaining 4.5 cents, he said, is due to increases in all departments budgets.
   The budget was due to be introduced on April 11, but the City Commission held it until Monday because the commissioners were unhappy with it, Mayor Collom said. He said the commissioners "did a good job" with what they had.
   The budget is expected to go up for public hearing on May 23.