By Michael Benavides
Staff Writer
JACKSON – The Township Council has adopted a $42.4 million budget for 2017 and will raise $31.8 million in taxes from Jackson’s residential and commercial property owners to support the spending plan.
On April 25, council President Kenneth Bressi, Vice President Ann Updegrave, Councilman Scott Martin, Councilman Barry Calogero and Councilman Robert Nixon voted to approve the budget.
No one from the public commented on the budget, which Martin called “the definition of fiscal restraint.”
The $42.4 million budget will be supported in part through the collection of $31.8 million local tax levy. Jackson will receive $3.41 million in state aid in 2017, which is the same amount that was received in 2016. Officials will use $2.78 million from surplus funds (savings) as revenue in the budget.
In 2016, Jackson’s budget totaled $41.8 million and was supported in part through the collection of $30.93 million in local taxes. Officials used $3 million from surplus as revenue. The municipal tax rate was 46.2 cents per $100, the average home was assessed at $325,748 and the owner of that home paid $1,511 in municipal taxes.
In 2017, the municipal tax rate will increase to 47.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home is assessed at $326,489 and the owner of that home will pay $1,544 in municipal taxes, which is an increase of $33.
The increase in the tax rate will have a different impact on each property owner depending on the assessed value of the home and/or property.
In a prepared statement, Mayor Michael Reina said the budget “funds our core mission of delivering essential municipal services. As in all prior years during my tenure as mayor, the proposed budget was formulated to meet our objectives of long-term planning and sustainability.
“These two main objectives are extremely important as they impact budgets and services going forward. Thus far, we have accomplished these objectives and we will continue to adhere to sound financial polices and best practices.
“The capital budget is formulated with the foresight to reduce long-term debt and not defer necessary capital spending, which only shifts the burden to future administrations,” he said.
Municipal taxes are one component of a property owner’s total tax bill. Property owners also pay Jackson School District taxes, Ocean County taxes and other assessments.
Jackson has 224 full-time employees and 61 part-time employees. Personnel costs account for $28.29 million (approximately 66.8 percent) of the $42.4 million budget.