West Amwell officials eye raise for municipal judge
By John Tredrea, Special Writer
A public hearing and adoption vote on Stockton Borough’s proposed 2013 municipal budget is set for 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday).
The hearing originally was scheduled for Monday night.
The postponement became necessary when not enough members of Borough Council attended Monday night’s meeting for the vote to be taken, according to Clerk Michele Hovan.
If adopted as expected tonight, the proposed spending plan would bring a municipal tax-rate increase of “just under 2 cents” per $100 of assessed property value, Ms. Hovan said.
For a Stockton house assessed at $350,000, which is close to the borough average assessed value, a municipal tax-rate increase of 2 cents would bring an annual tax increase of $70.
Itemized property tax bills include school and county taxes as well as municipal taxes.
Under the proposed Stockton budget for 2013, $347,059 would be raised for the budget by local (Stockton) taxes.
Under state law, the public hearing must precede the council adoption vote on the budget.
THE WEST AMWELL TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE introduced an ordinance Monday night that, if adopted, would increase the annual salary of the township’s municipal judge from $11,880 to $13,000, township clerk Lora Olsen said.
The proposed ordinance also authorizes the township to hire summer help, Ms. Olsen said.
If the ordinance is adopted as expected at the next committee meeting, slated for June 26, the summer help would mow lawns on municipal property and perform other seasonal tasks, she said.

