Monday, April 15, 2013
The 2013 municipal budget is set at almost $39 million.
The township council will be holding a public hearing Monday for its 2013 municipal budget with an expected vote to follow. The budget, as introduced in February, is set at $38,935,484.46, an increase of 1.26 percent over the 2012 budget of $38,451,229.13. As proposed, residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is the same amount residents paid in 2012. The meeting will also include a public hearing on several amendments introduced, mostly for housekeeping work based on vehicle damages sustained during Superstorm Sandy, as well as grants received. The most recent discussion on the budget concerned overtime costs for both the police department and public works. The 2013 budget …
Monday, April 1, 2013
The township council discusses overtime costs with the police and public works.
Although there were no comments from the public during Monday's budget public hearing, the council focused their attentions on what could be done to possibly streamline overtime costs in the police department. Councilman Matthew Moench said that, in overtime costs, the department spent $290,000 two years ago and about $289,000 in 2012. But this year, he said, they are only budgeting for $260,000. "I want to make sure we are budgeting accurately," he said. "It is great for the numbers to go down if we think they will be roughly the same." Township administrator James Naples said part of the increase in costs in previous years comes from the fact that there were four vacancies in the department—but they are looking to fill three of them very…
A public hearing on the budget will also be held.
The township council is planning a public hearing Monday on its municipal budget that includes a 0 percent tax hike for 2013. The budget, as introduced in February, is set at $38,935,484.46, an increase of 1.26 percent over the 2012 budget of $38,451,229.13. The meeting will also include some budget amendments, which will be announced and discussed at the meeting. As proposed, residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is the same amount residents paid in 2012. The 2013 budget includes a few extra appropriations, including $195,000 for current litigation that is not expected to be included in future budgets, as well as appropriations of funding to replace police cars damaged …
Monday, March 11, 2013
The township is receiving almost $6 million.
Bridgewater Township will be receiving flat municipal state aid for the 2013 calendar year, close to $6 million. The township is slated to receive $5,904,261, the exact same amount it received in 2012. The township recently introduced its municipal budget, with the assumption of flat state aid, and a 0 percent increase in the tax levy. The budget this year is set at $38,935,484.46, an increase of 1.26 percent over the 2012 budget of $38,451,229.13. Residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is exactly the same as the tax impact of the 2012 budget. The flat state aid was assumed when the budget was introduced, days before the official numbers were released. A public hearing for …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Bridgewater Township Council introduces 2013 spending plan; public hearing planned for April 1.
The Township Council introduced the 2013 budget Thursday, setting it at about $39 million with no tax increase. “We are pleased to introduce a budget that begins the discussion with no tax increase for the Bridgewater residents," councilman, and budget subcommittee member, Filipe Pedroso said in a statement after the meeting. "While we introduced the budget tonight, this is just the start of the process.” The total 2013 budget is currently set at $38,935,484.46, an increase of 1.26 percent over the 2012 budget of $38,451,229.13. Residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is exactly the same as the tax impact of the 2012 budget. The 2013 budget includes a few extra appropriations…
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Mayor Dan Hayes presented his draft of the budget with a 0 percent tax increase.
Mayor Dan Hayes presented his spending plan for the 2013 municipal budget Thursday, emphasizing that, without cutting any programs, the budget has a 0 percent tax increase. "This budget provides the resources to continue to meet our goals without the need of a tax increase," he said. The budget as outlined now is set at $38,688,671, a 0.6 percent increase over the 2012 budget, which was set at $38,451,229.13. And with a 0 percent tax increase, residents will pay a municipal tax of $1,053 for a home assessed at the average value of $411,662. This is exactly the same as the tax costs in the 2012 budget. Hayes said Thursday that the administration focused on maintaining his four goals of remaining among the lowest in the county for municipal …
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Two council members vote against it, residents say property values declining.
Despite two dissenting votes, and residents’ pleas to reconsider, the township council approved a municipal budget Monday with a 3.03 percent tax increase. “The economy is not improving,” said resident Jeff Foose. “In Bridgewater, the median sales price [of homes sold] is $312,500. That’s a decrease of 22 percent from the year prior.” “Asking for 3 percent, and distilling it down to being just $46, it’s not $46,” he added. “It’s time after time, and year after year where we don’t make difficult decisions.” Foose said he understands these are difficult times, but that just being able to say the budget is not increasing by 4 percent is not enough. “I know we want to maintain a strong standard of living,” he said. “With 3 percent, ask …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Hayes says anything lower would have negatively affected residents.
Although he understands the struggles in the current economy, Bridgewater Township Mayor Dan Hayes said he is pleased that the council is moving forward with a budget that is not at the lowest end discussed in terms of a tax rate increase. After initially voting to lower the administration-proposed 6.5 percent tax rate increase to 1.9 percent, the council voted Monday to introduce a budget that includes some cuts and lowers the tax rate to only a 3.03 percent increase. “I am very pleased that the council has put a budget in, moved it forward and agreed upon it,” Hayes said. “I am pleased that it’s a budget that I think will help us reach our goals.” For Hayes, the goal of the budget is to support the overall vision of Bridgewater as a …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
The tax rate increase is approved at 3.03 percent instead of the previously approved 1.9.
After an initial set of cuts were made based on township council suggestions in an effort to lower the tax rate increase to 1.9 percent, the council took a second vote Monday, and, with a decision at 3-2, opted to set the tax rate increase at 3.03 percent instead. "As much as it pains me to go above 2.5 percent, I am of a mind that based on the additional changes I have seen, some of which are reasonably significant, I will support the 3.03 percent tax levy increase because I think it does the least damage," said councilman Howard Norgalis. "But I think the budget still represents the opportunity for more cuts." When the budget was originally handed over to the township council in March, the tax rate increase was set at 6.5 percent—but …
A township ordinance requires three unfilled police positions to be funded.
As part of the budget amendments to cut funds and lower the tax levy increase to the newly approved 3.03 percent, the township council approved, not unanimously, the introduction of an ordinance to eliminate three vacant police positions. These positions are currently not filled, but, by ordinance, are required to be funded in case they are needed. "At this point, we have three vacant police positions with no reason to fill them, so that includes a significant decrease in the budget," Councilman Howard Norgalis said. "This eliminates the three vacant police positions until such time as we need to readdress them." Norgalis said Bridgewater Township Police Chief Richard Borden would like to have the positions funded in case they are needed, …
Robin Brueckner
4:26 pm on Monday, April 15, 2013
Am I pleased with a zero percent tax increase? Of course not if the township is wasting my money. Have low yield projects been ended? What efficiencies been introduced? With gas and electric rates lower, why is the overall budget the same level? I just took a quick look at the budget here: http://www.bridgewaternj.gov/docs/finances/2013_Budget-Bridgewater_state.pdf Some weird stuff pops right out… more ›