Several years ago, before longtime Borough Council critic Nick Novak died, he asked a provocative question: what happens when Manville residents have to pay the full cost of their municipal government?
Mr. Novak was referring to the borough’s use of the $5 million proceeds from the late-1990s sale of the water utility to Elizabethtown Water Co., and its reliance on extraordinary aid from the state. He wondered how much taxes would go up when the budget can’t be balanced with these extra sources of revenue.
We may find out soon.
The borough is receiving the full amount of extraordinary aid requested from the state, but we certainly can’t expect that forever.
As for the water utility money, it’s gone.
At a recent Borough Council meeting, borough officials discussing the borough’s $13.7 million budget noted the borough’s declining fortunes including the loss of revenue from 59 houses torn down after Hurricane Floyd in 1998.
But we’re 10 years down the road, and such old news shouldn’t matter now.
A growing number of residents are asking what the borough will do to reduce or control spending to minimize any tax increases a fair question, if perhaps misdirected, so far.
Manville has done a good job holding down taxes the borough’s equalized rate of 63.3 cents per $100 assessed value is below our neighbors (Bound Brook’s is 67.04 cents; South Bound Brook 74 cents; and Somerville’s is 69.7), with the exception of Raritan’s 49.8-cent rate, the result of having large commercial properties in town helping spread the load.
Last week’s final budget approved by the Borough Council included $303,000 in cuts from the introduced budget, and a corresponding reduction of the amount to be collected in taxes of $1 million.
We think that’s a great starting point for next year’s budget.
Borough officials will have to really work to identify ways to save to avoid real problems with residents.
There are only a few ways to make substantial changes in the budget: primarily, they can cut people, cut services, or both.
None are easy to do, and now is the best time for residents and borough officials to begin discussing what can be done.
We hope more residents will come to council meetings to let the members know what’s important to them, what services they’re willing to pay for and what ideas they have for saving money.
We’ve been dodging budgetary bullets for some time it’s best not to expect to be able to do that forever.
