MANALAPAN – The Township Committee has introduced a $39.51 million budget to fund the operation of Manalapan during 2022.
The budget was introduced during a meeting on April 27. Mayor Susan Cohen, Deputy Mayor Mary Ann Musich, Committeeman Eric Nelson, Committeeman Barry Jacobson and Committeeman Jack McNaboe voted “yes” on a motion to introduce the budget.
A public hearing on the budget has been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. June 1 in the municipal building. The committee members may vote to adopt the budget following the public hearing.
According to the budget document posted on the township’s website, the 2022 spending plan will be supported by a tax levy of $25.85 million to be collected from Manalapan’s residential and commercial property owners.
Manalapan is made up of 92.24% residential taxpayers and 6.1% commercial taxpayers, Township Administrator Tara Lovrich said during a presentation regarding the budget.
Municipal officials will appropriate $4.05 million from the surplus fund (savings) to be used as revenue in the budget. Manalapan will receive $3.87 million in state aid for 2022. State aid has remained flat from 2021, Lovrich said.
The township will receive $1.24 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to be used for road improvements, according to the budget.
Manalapan’s 2019 budget totaled $34.49 million and was supported by a tax levy of $22.96 million.
Manalapan’s 2020 budget totaled $34.91 million and was supported by a tax levy of $23.54 million.
Manalapan’s 2021 budget totaled $36.98 million and was supported by a tax levy of $25.18 million,
In 2021, the average home in Manalapan was assessed at $460,978, the municipal tax rate was 35.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and the owner of that home paid about $1,618 in municipal taxes.
In 2022, the average home in Manalapan is assessed at $543,388, the municipal tax rate is projected to decrease to 30.7 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and the owner of that home will pay about $1,668 in municipal taxes.
Lovrich said 31% of residents will see no increase in their municipal taxes in 2022 and 24% of residents will see a municipal tax increase of $50 or less in 2022.
The cost of garbage and recycling collection is included in the municipal taxes property owners in Manalapan pay on an annual basis.
Municipal taxes are one item on a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Monmouth County taxes, Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes and a fire district tax.
The total amount of taxes a property owner pays is determined by the assessed valuation of his home and/or property and the tax rate that is set by each taxing entity.
During her presentation of the 2022 budget, Lovrich said that for every $1 in taxes a Manalapan property owner pays, 17% (i.e., 17 cents) goes to the township; 14% (14 cents) goes to Monmouth County; 46% (46 cents) goes to the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District; 20% (20 cents) goes to the Freehold Regional High School District; 2% (2 cents) goes to a municipal fire district; and 1% (1 cent) goes to municipal open space.