By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
In the consolidated Princeton, the largest single municipal expense in 2013 will be paying down debt the two Princetons accrued, officials said this week.
Debt service is the largest line item, larger than even public safety, in a proposed $61 million budget that the council introduced on Monday. It will represent 17 percent, or roughly a little over $11 million, of all government spending in a year when municipal taxes are not going up.
Administrator Robert W. Bruschi gave the council a budget overview at its meeting Monday, on a night when he said the “balanced” spending plan cuts no services and, in many instances, increases them. He said the budget would reduce the municipal tax rate.
In looking at the numbers, Mr. Bruschi pointed that the municipal workforce has 261 employees, down from 287 that the borough and the township had combined. Five of those job cuts includes the five members of the Township Committee, who were technically part-timers who got paid. He said most of the reduction, helping to bring down the salary and wage portion of the budget down by $1.2 million, came through retirements.
Thanks to a change in health benefit carrier to the state plan, the town will save $597,000.
In building the spending plan, Mr. Bruschi said officials had some things in mind. The town wanted an “austere” budget that met the goals of consolidation, but at that time a budget that allowed for flexibility to grow programs where necessary.
He pointed to major increases in the budget that include providing trash removal for all residents. Also the town is negotiating all its labor agreements this year.
A public hearing is scheduled for May 28.
