The 2014 budget is proposed at $11,008,968. A public hearing on the spending plan is set for May 7 at 8 p.m.
by Amy Batista, Special Writer
FLORENCE —The Township Council has unanimously introduced an $11 million budget, which if approved, would not include a tax rate increase.
The tax rate will remain 43.9 cents per $100 of assessment. The average township house is assessed at $224,411, according to Township Administrator Richard Brook, translating to annual taxes of $985. The average assessment dropped slightly from last’s year average of $227,410, he said.
The township is under the state-mandated 2 percent cap.
”We are under the appropriations cap by approximately $160,000,” said Mayor Craig Wilkie during the April 2 meeting. “The township still has tax cap levy space of approximately $300,000. The township was able to balance its budget without utilizing any of this tax cap allowance.”
The 2014 budget is proposed at $11,008,968. A public hearing on the spending plan is set for May 7 at 8 p.m.
”I think it is a sound budget,” said Mayor Craig Wilkie during the April 2 meeting, adding it addresses the needs of the community. “It keeps you fiscally solid over the next couple of years so you will not have to have large raises or spikes one way or the other.”
Mr. Brook said prior to the meeting that the budget is a collaborative effort among Mayor Wilkie, township council and a very dedicated staff.
”Because of a strong commercial development climate and the oversight of Mayor Wilkie and township council, we were able to achieve a budget in 2014 that does not increase taxes,” he said.
Debt service was going to be $1.2 million and will be there until 2016 and it drops down, he added.
”We made a conscious effort for this year and next year when the (payment in lieu of taxes) money from the Whitesell properties expire because they go five years and they are now paying full taxes we needed to make sure that when our revenue dropped which was about $1.2 million down to about $600,000 that we didn’t then turn around and ensure that we would have to raise taxes and the potential of having to lay off people next year because of the cap.”
Mayor Wilkie noted that there is a large surplus in the budget being used and surplus being maintained next year to make sure that the debt service is paid without having to raise taxes and lay people off.
He further noted that he and the township council are “committed to working hard to avoid tax increases and to keeping the local purpose tax stable whenever possible.”
”This budget well also providing the services that the town has and to some extent we are expanding those services,” he said, adding that over the past few years things like the technology has been modernized.
The budget maintains all municipal services while keeping the local purpose tax the same, he said, noting that the takes into accounting the starting of several capital projects in 2014 including the township’s first road program.
”A Road Improvement Program will begin this spring,” Mr. Brook said, adding that Mayor Wilkie and council have already committed to continuing with a road program in the spring of 2015.
”The exact roads to be re-paved will be determined in a few months,” he said. “The township is also going to examine the possibility of hiring another police officer for the police academy. The budget sets asides funds for a new police vehicle and covers the costs of a very brutal winter.”
Mayor Wilkie noted that for snow removal the township for the past two years has been around $10,000 to $12,000 in expenses but this year it was over $60,000 in the account for services.
The budget also includes funds for the demolition of the former Roebling Rescue Squad building on Hornberger Avenue and a Patriotic Celebration event, which has been planned for July 12.
”The budget sets aside additional funds to build up the Capital Improvement Fund,” he said. “This fund is used when bond ordinances are approved for capital projects. The township is preparing to review a proposal to replace the library roof and the skylights at the municipal building in late 2014.”

