SHREWSBURY — The biggest issue facing the borough for 2011 will be keeping taxes and expenses down, according to the borough’s new mayor, Donald Burden.
“The number one issue, like every other borough around here, is to try and hold down the taxes and hold expenses,” Burden said, adding that he is anxiously awaiting funding figures from Trenton.
The Borough Council will have three new members helping to craft the budget: Councilmen Peter Meyer, Jeff DeSalvo and Anthony Pellegrino.
Burden served as council president last year and has been a council member since 2003.
He said that the budget is currently in the review stage.
During his reorganization comments, Burden reflected on the borough’s history including the initial decision to separate from Shrewsbury Township in 1926.
In an interview last week, Burden defined the importance of the past to the future of the borough.
“There is a recognition by the citizens and taxpayers here in Shrewsbury of the significance of the history of the town and the small-town atmosphere,” he said.
“Over the years, the residents became accustomed to the services provided, and there’s a consensus that they would like to see that maintained.”
The borough is constantly exploring shared services, one option to control spending, Burden said, through partnerships such as the Two Rivers Council of Mayors.
Burden said that the borough currently shares services with the township of Shrewsbury and is constantly looking for additional agreements, though establishing them is not always easy.
“Like every other town, it’s difficult to give up the home-rule situation that we’ve all had,” he said.
“Everybody wants to retain their own schools, fire departments and police departments.”
Burden said that opportunities for consolidation could present themselves through attrition.
“Maybe that will be more realistic. As some of the people involved reach retirement age and move on, there might be opportunities there,” he said.
Burden said that additional challenges would also come from Shrewsbury’s development saturation.
“We’ve got expansion here in terms of businesses along Route 35, and we are pretty well maxed out in terms of property that can be developed, so we’re going to have to learn to exist with the resources that we have,” he said.