By Lea Kahn
Aiming to introduce the 2011 municipal budget at its May 3 meeting, Township Council has asked Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun to take one more look at the spending plan to see what it would take to shave 1 penny off the proposed municipal tax rate.
Township Council completed its overview of the proposed $42.1 million budget Tuesday night. As it stands, the budget calls for a 6-cent hike in the municipal tax rate from 78 cents per $100 of assessed value to 84 cents.
The tax rate hike translates into an increase of $80 in the municipal tax bill on a house assessed at the township average of $161,292 from $1,274 in municipal property taxes in 2010 to $1,354 in 2011.
Although the proposed 2011 municipal budget is $800,000 more than the present budget, a decline in tax ratables accounts for 1 cent of the 6-cent tax rate increase, Mr. Krawczun said. He attributed the decline in the total taxable value of township properties to property owners’ successful tax appeals last year.
About half of the budget increase is attributable to increases in salaries, health benefits and pension contributions. The remainder is due to the new red light camera fees, he said. A company has been hired to install a camera and monitor it at the intersection of Route 1 and Franklin Corner Road to capture images of vehicles that do not stop when the traffic light turns red. The cost will be offset by about $700,000 in fines.
Mayor Greg Puliti said Township Council will deliberate on the proposed spending plan at its April 21 meeting. The goal is to have the budget finalized and ready for introduction at the May 3 meeting, and to schedule a public hearing and final action later in the month.
”I’m going to ask you a hard question what services are we not going to do to (reduce) the budget,” Mayor Puliti said to Mr. Krawczun. “Go back and see what you can do to take 1 cent off. Give us a vision of what (the cuts) would be.”
Mr. Krawczun promised to get back to Township Council with some answers.
The manager also spent a few minutes with the governing body to review the proposed capital spending plan for 2011. Among the recommendations are a new 20-ton dump truck with a snowplow and a sander, estimated to cost $175,000, for the Department of Public Works.
The proposed capital budget which is separate from the operating budget also earmarks $20,000 to replace self-contained breathing apparatus for the three fire departments.
It also calls for $500,000 in the 2011 capital budget and $500,000 in the 2012 capital budget to replace the Slackwood Fire Company’s snorkel truck. The replacement firetruck could cost $1 million, Mr. Krawczun said.
And the capital budget estimates that it will cost $670,000 in construction costs and $35,000 for design costs for the 2011 road improvement program. The streets on the list include Johnson Avenue, Short Johnson Avenue and Lawrence Station Road.
Also, Princeton Pike between Fairfield Avenue and Harney’s Corner is on the list, as well as Springwood Drive and Woodlane Road. The parking lot at the Department of Public Works facility also may be resurfaced.

