By Amy Batista, Special Writer
The City Commissioners approved a $5.39 million municipal budget, which calls for a 2-cent increase in the municipal tax rate during its meeting on June 9.
”Debt payment out of the city fund in 2013 was $497,550 and in 2014 is $408,500 and it decreased by $70,500,” said Mayor Joseph Malone. “The total city budget decreased by $69,916.”
The new tax rate is 97.4 cents per $100 assessment. A homeowner with a home assessed at the city’s average of $204,672 would pay an additional $36 on the municipal portion of their property tax bill.
Last year, the approved flat tax rate was 95.4 cents of $100 assessed property.
Mayor Malone warned the residents to “pay close attention” to the school tax increase.
”Something you should pay close attention though this year is the school increase for this year,” he said. “It looks to be $284. It is a significant difference in rate of increase in budgets.”
The municipal budget totals $5,393,158. According to city officials, the budget increase came in under the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy cap.
The surplus used in the budget is $422,000, which is an increase of $70,000 over the $375,000 in surplus used last year. The state aid remains the same. The payment in lieu of taxes for the Claire Estate increased by $66,000 and the cell phone tower revenue increased by $3,500, he said.
He attributed some of the increases in the budget to increases in the costs of health insurance and the purchase of a new police car.
”The time and money that we are spending repairing these old police cars are better spent by buying another police car,” he said.
The reserve for tax appeal remained the same as in 2013 at $25,000 and the capital improvement fund is basically $20,000. The debt payment for water utilities decreased by $18,000, he said.
”In the water budget, no surplus was utilized to balance the budget,” he said.
He acknowledged Commissioner Zigmont Targonski for pursuing grants including a Burlington County grant, which he worked on two years ago.
”That is currently in the budget and money we have not collected from the county but that is taken care in the budget,” he said.
The city received a grant from Sustainable New Jersey for $2,000 and a Clean Communities grant for $7,200, he said.
Mayor Malone discussed several capital improvements the city is considering “which are not part of the budget” for next year including improving the Gilder House and Old City Hall, installing a new phone system in Old City Hall, upgrading the tax maps, replacing the bucket truck, creating a pole barn for storage purposes, improving the city parking lot, purchasing a pickup truck and purchasing containers for the dumpster truck.
”For those of you who have had the opportunity to call City Hall at times and do not get a response, we hope to make that a little bit better,” he said.
Some roadwork is also being considered.
According to the flyer from Mayor Malone that went out to residents, upon completion of the citywide survey, a project for street improvements for parts of Willow, Prince and Gilder roads will begin as well as the repair of potholes and deteriorated intersections.
”Primarily Gilder Road and some of the other intersections need to be upgraded,” he said.
The commissioners are also trying to address the ongoing flooding issues and looking into redesigning the back parking lot at Old City Hall.
”Improvements to the city parking lot has to be something we desperately need to do,” he said, adding that “Matt is tired of swimming from the front of the building to the back building to get into the police station.”
The commissioners are also considering a standby generator for emergency purposes. The final location has not been determined but Carslake Recreation Center or Hope Hose Humane Fire Co. are being considered.
The commissioners are also considering electrical work and a “high service pump” for the water plant.
”We mentioned the meters in the flyer we sent out,” he said.
The water utility will be starting a major project of replacing water meters throughout the entire service area, which includes Bordentown City and Bordentown Township. This replacement is necessary every 10 to 12 years and will cost approximately $1 million, Mayor Malone said in a flyer sent to residents.
The lagoons are expected to be cleaned and a new well is needed, he said.
These capital improvements are expected to be done through ordinances.
”When we do these ordinances they will be properly noticed and properly printed,” he said. “It has not been fully determined exactly what items that we will place in bond issues for both the city and the water utility but we do have to make some significant improvements and something has to be done.”
Mayor Malone noted that the city would be performing a self-exam of the municipal budget this year.
”The state allows us to self-exam our budget,” he said.

