By Mary Brienza, Staff writer
The Township Council is still discussing the $46.5 million municipal budget that could raise the tax rate by 8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
The council unanimously voted to introduce the budget last month and a public hearing on the spending plan is scheduled for April 12. If adopted, the spending plan would cost the owner of a township average $190,000 home around $160 more, according to officials. As part of the budget, there are seven planned layoffs, and five to seven more employees retiring, according to township spokesman Ron Schmalz.
The positions of those retiring will not be filled because of a hiring freeze that has been in place for about six years, Mr. Schmalz said.
The seven positions that will be laid off include three in the finance office, one in the clerk’s office, a legal aid assistant in the township attorney’s office, a clerk in the tax assessor’s office, and a secretary in the social services office, Mr. Schmalz said.
The proposed budget is within the 3.5 percent state imposed spending cap, has a 2 percent tax levy cap, is $1 million less than last year, has a 2 percent reduction in spending, but will increase taxes 8 cents per $100 of assessed value, Mr. Watkins said when presenting the budget for the first time last month.
”(The township) is about as lean and mean as we can get,” Deputy Mayor Chris Killmurray said at a March 22 Township Council meeting.
As a result of the cuts, some services will probably take longer, Councilman John O’Sullivan said at the meeting.
At the March 29 special budget meeting, the fire safety and utilities departments met with the council to discuss the budget, while at the special meeting on March 22 the legal department and clerk’s office met with the council.
The utilities are self-liquidating for the first time since 2007, and in spite of a 13.5 increase in the consumption of utilities in 2010, there have been no rate increases in utilities, according to township officials.
The public meetings are part of a series to see if any cuts can be made in each department, and will continue on Tuesdays and Saturdays as the council reviews the spending plan before adopting it.
Mayor Frank Gambatese said earlier the budget meetings would take place until the council is “satisfied” with the budget.
The proposed budget is available for residents to look at online at the township website, at the public library, and at the clerk’s office in the municipal building, Mr. Watkins said earlier.

