Officials predicting most department budgets will not increase this year
By David Kilby, Special Writer
Most of the Public Works department’s expenses will remain flat, except for a 4.5 percent anticipated rate increase from Jersey Central Power and Light since the company has to make up for unexpected costs from Hurricane Sandy. – William Askenstedt, director of Public Works
EAST WINDSOR — The Township Council met Tuesday with several municipal departments and agencies for its first budget workshop of the year.
According to officials, the municipality is not facing major increases in costs this year.
The workshop provided an opportunity for various departments and agencies to discuss their finances with the mayor, council and financial administration.
Mayor Janice Mironov said the council will revisit the entire budget, and everything discussed at the meeting will remain under advisement as the township continues to evaluate its budget over the next few months.
Municipalities in New Jersey are asked to submit preliminary budgets to the state by the middle of March and adopt their budgets by the end of April.
Mayor Mironov said the township has worked on its current budget book for years.
”We always start with that foundation,” she said. “We’ve determined a certain foundation we’re comfortable with.”
That foundation contains a general budget of approximately $20 million for 2012.
Also for 2012, the municipal tax rate was 41.6 cents per $100 of assessed value. A homeowner with a residential property assessed at the township average of $264,000 paid $1,098.24 in municipal taxes last year.
The mayor and council said they expect most department budgets in the township to remain flat this year.
Among the departments and agencies that discussed their finances at the workshop were Health and Wellness, Public Works, Fire Districts 1 and 2, Emergency Medical Squad, the Juvenile Justice Committee, Better Beginnings Daycare, Economic Development, RISE community service center and financial administration.
William Askenstedt, Public Works director, said most of the department’s expenses will remain flat, except for a 4.5 percent anticipated rate increase from Jersey Central Power and Light since the company has to make up for unexpected costs from Hurricane Sandy.
The mayor said she doesn’t know if that’s correct, adding that if any utility is looking at a rate increase, there needs to be very clear parameters by local officials.
She said JCP&L has had infrastructure issues regarding communication, power restoration and prioritization and needs to look at how to minimize power outage issues.
”I think this all needs to be looked at as a package,” she said. “Local officials will take a hard look at this, and we’ll be a part of that.”
She told Mr. Askenstedt it was appropriate for him to bring up the issue at the workshop.
The Public Works director added New Jersey Turnpike construction has done “enormous damage to our roadways” due to the truck volume the construction requires.
The mayor acknowledged the difficulties Mr. Askenstedt mentioned, but made it clear the township will look for outside sources to provide compensation for these problems.
”I don’t want anyone to have the notion that these are costs we expect the taxpayer to pick up,” she said.

