Politics & Government

Taxes to Increase By $65 in 2012 Budget

The township introduces a $38 million budget.

The township council introduced a budget Monday that sees a slight increase in the municipal taxes, and includes one-time costs for emergencies following Hurricane Irene in August.

The budget is set at $38,451,229.13, a 4.5 percent increase over the 2011 budget set at about $36.8 million.

The municipal tax for a Bridgewater resident is set at $1,053 for a home assessed at the township average of $411,662. This is an average increase of $65 over the 2011 municipal taxes, or about 6.6 percent.

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Included in the budget is , which is the same amount the township received in 2011.

In addition, the budget also includes several one-time appropriations required for repairs after Hurricane Irene caused flooding and destroyed several police cars in August. This includes $642,509 for emergencies issued through Irene and additional litigation needed.

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Also part of these one-time appropriations are $26,400 for police cars that were destroyed in the hurricane, and which will be paid for over the span of five years.

The township is also receiving $81,000 in storm reimbursements from FEMA and insurance companies.

The council will be hearing a breakdown of the budgets presented from individual departments beginning at the end of March, according to township administrator James Naples.

Public hearing for the budget will be held April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the municipal complex.

The budget will be available at the for viewing.

With the introduction of the budget, it is now in the hands of the council and the administration to make changes before it is approved.

"Once you introduce it, you do with it what you will," Councilman Howard Norgalis said. "We can make changes from there, and we are endorsing the process by introducing the budget."


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