BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer
The average property owner in Red Bank can expect an annual increase of $58 in their tax bills if the budget that was introduced this week remains the same.
Mayor Pasquale Menna said at Monday’s Borough Council meeting that it is unlikely that the municipal budget that was introduced at the meeting would stay as it is.
“This budget does not include any extraordinary aid,” he said, “or any other additional aid from the state.”
Borough Chief Financial Officer Frank Mason said Monday that although normally tax-rate increases are discussed in terms of cents per $100 of assessed property value, because of the revaluation, those terms are difficult to apply to any tax-rate change in this year’s budget.
“We actually had a 45-
cent decrease because of our revaluation,” he said, “but the assessed values of homes have gone up.”
The revaluation concluded last month, and the assessed value of the average home in the borough increased from $179,000 to $404,000, therefore the tax rate decreased.
The overall municipal budget increased by slightly less than $4 million over last year, but the total amount to be raised by taxes, according to the budget introduced this week, increased by slightly more than $400,000.
Councilman Michael DuPont, who chairs the Finance Committee, said that the operating budget for the borough has decreased from last year, and that the municipality’s debt has remained flat.
“I’m very happy with this budget,” he said, “but I know it can be tweaked a little bit more.”
The areas of the largest increase, according to DuPont, are salaries and wages, with a $420,000 increase over last year, including the salary for one additional code enforcement officer and three additional police officers.
These requests, along with budget requests from other departments, were presented at a public meeting at borough hall on March 6.
“Code enforcement had requested three new people but I think we’ll only be able to give them one full-time person, and maybe a part-time secretary later,” DuPont had said at a special budget meeting March 6.
Salary cuts have been made since last year, with the part-time administrative position of director of special projects and the full-time position of parking director eliminated, according to Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels.
“Police and public works seem to be the largest costs,” Sickels said at that meeting. “Their salaries and wages are set by their unions. This year’s agreement calls for a 3.5 percent wage increase. Next year it will be 3 percent.”
The position of part-time prosecutor for the borough has also been cut from this year’s budget, and thanks to a grant, the salary and wages for the Red Bank Senior Center staff have also been cut from the budget.
The budget presented at last week’s meeting was, as DuPont said, a “wish list” for different departments in the borough, and while most requests could be accommodated, some would not.
“This is a work in progress,” DuPont said, “and there will be some additional cuts.”
The budget for the Water and Sewer Utility increased by about $900,000, with the area of the largest increase being the utility’s surplus.
Menna said Monday it is important to have that kind of surplus because most of the water and sewer lines in the borough are about 100 years old, and funds should be set aside to cover the cost of any problems that may come up.
DuPont asked Menna and the rest of the council, including Councilman Robert J. Bifani and Councilwoman Sharon Lee, who are also on the Finance Committee, to make recommendations as to how the budget could be further decreased.
“It’s a lean budget already,” he said, “and I think it achieves what the taxpayers want, which is an efficient, well-managed government.”
Although the budget’s introduction was approved by four out of the five sitting council members, Councilman John P. Curley voted against it, saying that he would not vote for any budget increase, even at introduction.
“I thank Councilmen DuPont and Bifani and Councilwoman Lee for the effort they’ve put into this budget,” said Curley. “As the lone Republican on council, I was not in on any discussions or negotiations regarding the budget. I cannot accept this budget at the level it is with an increase. I think the best option for taxpayers would be to bring it down to zero.”
Bifani pointed out that the borough is negotiating the possible sale of two pieces of property, and that the financial aid from the state has not yet been factored into the budget.
Curley did say that he was pleased that the new vehicles factored into this year’s budget for the Code Enforcement Department are small, gas-efficient cars.
“We all wanted much smaller vehicles,” Curley said, “and Ford Focus are small and maneuverable, which is good in this almost urban-like environment. I am elated that we’re going in the right direction with vehicles.”