Fixed costs boost town spending
By: Jessica Beym
Township residents will pay 10.3 percent more in municipal taxes under the 2006 municipal budget adopted by the Township Committee on Monday.
The Township Committee voted 4-0 to approve a $12.5 million spending plan for 2006 that is $978,592 larger than last year’s and will raise $763,359 more from taxes, for a total tax levy of $5.26 million.
Committee member Richard Stannard did not attend the meeting.
Under the new plan, the municipal tax rate will increase 8 cents, to 85 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. At that rate, the owner of a home assessed at the township average of $225,000 will pay about $1,912 in municipal taxes, about $180 more than last year.
The budget was introduced on Feb. 13 and a public hearing was held in Town Hall on March 13.
The increase in spending is being driven by so-called fixed costs debt payments for the new police station and the preservation of farmland, rising utility costs, increases in police salaries and a mandatory funding hike for the library.
The budget calls for $4.9 million toward paying down the debt $1.2 million on accumulated interest and $3.7 million for principal payments. Township officials said the increase in debt payments is due largely to the cost of the new police station (which opened in November and cost the township $3.9 million), the preservation of the Barclay and Simonson farms, and improvements to the township sewer system.
The township also plans to spend nearly $800,000 for utilities this year, an increase of $211,000.
Police salaries will cost the township $1.6 million in 2006, an increase of $99,000, which township officials attributed to contractual pay increases and budgeted overtime. Funding for the Cranbury Public Library will cost $462,865 in 2006, up $97,500 from last year.
The township will spend $53,750 on a Master Plan consultant and another $51,600 for other costs associated with updating the Master Plan. The township is setting aside $202,200 for the Planning Board and $124,000 for Master Plan work.
Spending on several items was reduced in the spending plan, including the administrator’s budget, which was cut by $45,300 because of the consolidation of the administrator and Public Works director positions. Tom Witt now holds both positions, with $26,000 of his $110,000 salary being charged to the administrator’s budget.
The township was also able to cut back on legal costs and other consulting fees associated with its third-round Council on Affordable Housing obligation this year, since the planning for the third round is mostly complete.
There is no money set aside for capital improvement projects in this year’s budget.