Monroe set to introduce spending plan

   MONROE — Officials say a tentative 2007 municipal budget isn’t expected to carry a tax increase.

By: William Greenwood
   MONROE — Officials say a tentative 2007 municipal budget isn’t expected to carry a tax increase.
   The Township Council is expected to introduce a $37.89 million tentative budget Monday, according to Township Business Administrator Wayne Hamilton.
   The plan would be about $2.22 million more than the current year’s $35.67 million budget but would keep the tax rate at 56 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, Mr. Hamilton said.
   Under that rate, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $168,100 would continue to pay about $941 in municipal taxes.
   Mayor Richard Pucci said the tax rate would remain flat because of an increase in the total value of taxable property in the township in 2006.
   The council will hold budget workshops March 14 and possibly March 15. If approved, it would be the third year in a row that the municipal tax rate would remain unchanged.
   "We’ve been working hard at it, and I can say once again that we’ll be introducing a budget with no increase in the municipal side of the budget," Mayor Pucci said.
   Mr. Hamilton said increases in the reserve for uncollected taxes, group health insurance premiums, police salaries and wages, and contributions to both the Public Employees’ Retirement System and the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System were the main reasons for the tentative budget’s total increase.
   In addition, the township also received $3.24 million in state aid, $58,797 more than in 2006, according to the state Department of Community Affairs Web site.