Princeton shared budgets reviewed

By: Courtney Gross
   The Princeton Borough Council and the Princeton Township Committee were scheduled to review budgets for their shared agencies, including the Princeton Public Library, at a joint meeting Monday.
   According to a memo from Borough Administrator Robert Bruschi and Township Administrator Jim Pascale, the budgets were supported by the municipalities’ Joint Finance Committee, and it was recommended that the governing bodies approve all of the budgets "with a single motion at the start of the meeting."
   The governing bodies were also slated to discuss a 2008 budget policy for contributions to the library budget, as well as a discussion regarding the joint Recreation Department’s budget. They were also scheduled to discuss appropriating approximately $2.6 million in capital projects proposed by the joint agencies.
   The following budget proposals were scheduled to be reviewed by the governing bodies Monday:
   • A library budget of $3.57 million, an increase of 5.2 percent from the 2006 approved budget.
   • An animal control budget of $78,438, an increase of $1,504.
   • A Corner House budget of $288,569, an increase of nearly 4 percent.
   • The Environmental Commission budget $7,034, the same as last year.
   • A fire department budget of $170,143.
   • A fire facilities budget of $93,808.
   • The First Aid & Rescue Squad budget of $169,643, the same as last year.
   • The Health Department’s budget of $417,227, an 8.3-pecent decrease.
   • An increase of $5,315 for the Human Services budget, totaling $228,976.
   • A 2.6 percent increase in the budget for the Regional Planning Board of Princeton, totaling $330,669.
   • A Recreation Department budget of $1.18 million, up 5.4 percent from 2006.
   • A Sewer Operating Committee budget of $1.38 million, up 5.3 percent from 2006.
   • A decrease of 5.2 percent in the solid waste budget to $306,986.
   • A budget for the Suzanne Patterson Center of $111,560.