JAMESBURG – The Borough Council has adopted a $6.12 million municipal budget to fund the municipality’s operations and services during 2020.
The council adopted the budget on May 20 during a meeting held via video conference.
The $6.12 million budget will be supported in part through the collection of a $4.38 million local tax levy to be paid by Jamesburg’s residential and commercial property owners, according to Business Administrator Scott Frueh.
In 2019, the municipal budget totaled $5.87 million and was supported in part by a $4.3 million local tax levy.
From 2019 to 2020, appropriations have increased by $249,900 and the local tax levy has increased by $77,840, according to Frueh.
Municipal officials may appropriate money from the borough’s surplus fund to use as revenue in the budget. In 2019, council members used $220,000 from surplus. In 2020, council members will use $490,000 from surplus, according to Frueh.
State aid to support the budget will remain the same in 2020 as it was in 2019: $413,905.
In 2019, the municipal tax rate was $1.81 per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the borough was assessed at $122,789. The owner of that home paid $2,221 in municipal taxes.
In 2020, the municipal tax rate is projected to be $1.83 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in the borough is now assessed at $123,214. The owner of that home will pay about $2,255.
Municipal taxes are one item on a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Jamesburg Public School District taxes and Middlesex County taxes.
Frueh said health costs in the 2020 budget have decreased due to the state’s health plan decreasing for active members. The budget shows an appropriation of $490,000 for Employee Group Insurance – Other Expenses. That same line item in the 2019 budget had an appropriation of $525,000.
No new municipal employees have been hired, however, borough officials may hire a new deputy court administrator later in the year to replace a previous employee.
“We do not currently know of any [municipal employee] retirements,” Frueh said.
Frueh said no municipal departments are being eliminated or consolidated.
In regard to potential capital improvements, Frueh said the borough only has New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) grants for road reconstruction for general capital. The borough has set aside $60,000 in sewer capital for a new truck.