By John Tredrea, Special Writer
STOCKTON — The borough’s 2012 budget of $602,917 was adopted by Borough Council Monday night, Clerk Michele Hovan said.
The budget brings a municipal tax rate of 35.2 cents, up from 33.4 cents last year.
Ms. Hovan said a Stockton residence assessed at $450,000 will pay $81 more this year than last year in municipal taxes under the 2012 budget.
She added that, as is the pattern in towns throughout this part of the country, municipal revenues are down due to declining property values. “State aid to municipalities is flat, too,” she added.
”We made some cuts in this year’s budget, especially in capital improvements,” Ms. Hovan said.
”We economized as much as possible across the board. We did use $40,000 in surplus to cover some of the appropriations in this year’s budget,” said Ms. Hovan.
”Using that meant we could keep the tax increase lower than it would been otherwise,” she added.
Ms. Hovan said there won’t be any significant changes in borough services under the 2012 budget.
Council decided Monday that borough employees would get a 2 percent pay raise under the 2012 budget. Ms. Hovan said this would be their first pay raise in three years.
Also adopted Monday, Ms. Hovan said, was a $175,000 bond ordinance that will pay for repairs to the borough’s sewage pumping station.

