WOODBRIDGE — The Township Council has adopted the 2016 budget that includes the smallest tax increase in 15 years.
The council adopted the $146.8 million spending plan, which represents a $7.6 million increase over last year’s adopted $139.2 million budget, during the Sept. 1 Township Council meeting.
The budget includes an $85.6 million tax levy, which represents a $2.9 million increase from last year’s $82.7 million levy.
Mayor John McCormac credited recent redevelopment initiatives as the driving force that led to smaller increase than in years past.
The township will also collect $3.6 million for the library tax levy, which is a slight increase from 2015.
The budget allocates $10.1 million from the surplus account, which is $1.4 million less than what was utilized in 2015.
Some of the anticipated revenues in 2016 include $1.9 million in municipal court fines, $1.9 million in uniform construction code fees and $1.2 million in hotel taxes.
The township will also receive $23.2 million in state aid, which remains flat from 2015.
Some of the larger appropriations include $26.3 million in police salaries, $21.6 million in employee group health insurance costs, and $1.3 million in legal costs.
McCormac said the budget also includes approximately $200,000 for salaries and supplies related to the new senior center at the former Port Reading Knights Of Columbus building.
According to McCormac, the council will spend significantly less on the senior center in the future as a portion of the $200,000 includes furniture and supplies that will not need to be duplicated in coming years.