By KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
MILLTOWN — The vote on the 2016 municipal budget was split down the party line with four Republicans voting to adopt the budget and two Democrats voting against the spending plan over concerns of “excess spending.”
The $8.01 million spending plan increases taxes roughly $95, or approximately 5.6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home assessment in Milltown is $163,635, according to township officials.
The average homeowner would pay about $1,879 in taxes this year for the municipal portion of the budget. The entire tax bill including the school portion for the average home owner is approximately $5,470.
This year’s tax levy is $4.98 million, which is up $84,245 from last year’s tax levy.
Council President Ronald Dixon said at a meeting on June 13 that taxes have increased every year despite council members trying to keep them low.
“We have done everything we can,” he said. “Do I want [taxes] to go up? No. I’m retired. That is the last thing I want — more taxes.”
However, Dixon said tax increases are necessary for the quality of life offered in Milltown, for a good education for the children and for a competent fire and police department to keep the residents safe.
Councilmen Nicholas Ligotti and Randy Farkas voted against the budget.
“Spending has gone up 12.32 percent over the last two years,” Farkas said. “In 2015, the debt service of the Borough of Milltown dropped over $500,000. Unfortunately, the Republican majority spent over $800,000 in capital projects.”
Dixon countered, saying spending over the last two years has gone up approximately 5.13 percent, not 12.32 percent.
Farkas said this is significant because there was a bipartisan plan in place to use that savings in debt service, along with savings on electrical power purchased on the open market, to pay for the $14.3 million bonded for the new electrical substation.
Ligotti said equipment such as an ATV valued at $35,000 for the Department of Public Works and Office of Emergency Management is not needed for their town.
Also, he said the hiring of an extra police officer eight to nine months prior to the anticipated departure of another officer has never been done in the borough.
“We are paying salary and benefits until the initial officer leaves,” he said.
The council also voted in favor of appropriating $720,000 and authorizing the issuance of $684,000 in bonds and notes to finance the acquisition of a new much-needed fire truck and canopy tent, which officials said will be reflected in next year’s budget.
Mayor Eric Steeber said the discussion about spending happens every year, and he urged the Borough Council to come to a consensus to make crucial investments that affect the approximately 7,000 or so residents of the borough.
“Everyone in Milltown fights over each other and you’re not spending a nickel and it has been going on forever,” he said. “Government costs money, but we try to keep it as low and reasonable as possible.”