By Kenny Walter
Staff Writer
OCEANPORT- The Borough Council has introduced the nearly $8 million municipal budget for the 2016 fiscal year.
During the March 17 council meeting, the council unanimously introduced the spending plan, that includes a $5.6 million tax levy, an increase over last year’s $5.4 million levy.
If adopted, the municipal tax rate will increase one-cent to 53.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The increase will result in a $44 increase on a tax payers tax bill with a property assessed at the borough average of $440,000.
Some of the larger revenues anticipated in the budget include $543,000 in energy tax receipts, $150,000 in uniform construction code fees and $70,000 in municipal court fees in a shared service agreement with Sea Bright.
Some of the larger appropriations include $1.5 million in police salaries and wages, $167,000 for garbage and trash removal and $830,000 in employee group health insurance costs.
A public hearing on the budget has been scheduled for April 21.