PLAINSBORO: Proposed budget shows small increase in municipal property tax

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
PLAINSBORO — With little fanfare, Township Committee introduced a $27.4 million municipal budget for 2016 Wednesday night, clearing the way for a public hearing and final action at the committee’s April 27 meeting.
The 2016 spending plan, as introduced, anticipates a $48 increase in the municipal property tax — or $4 per month — on a house assessed at the township average of $451,588 said Township Administrator Anthony Cancro.
The proposed budget is $986,437 more than the 2015 spending plan, Mr. Cancro told Township Committee. Much of the increase is attributable to increases in salaries and wages and medical insurance.
The major source of revenue for the municipal budget is the property tax, which accounts for $15.9 million.
Other significant sources of revenue to support the budget include $1.6 million in state aid, $1.2 million in miscellaneous revenue (including fees and permits, alcoholic beverage licenses and Municipal Court fines), and $2.7 million in surplus funds.
The budget also anticipates $5.1 million in revenue from “other special items.” This includes $1.2 million in hotel taxes, and payments in lieu of taxes totaling $1.5 million from St. Joseph’s Seminary, the Princeton Medical Arts Pavilion, the Princeton Fitness and Wellness Center, and the Merwick Care and Rehabilitation Center. There is a $70,000 “hospital impact fee,” also.
The $2.8 million capital budget, which is separate from the municipal operating budget, anticipates spending money on road maintenance and improvement projects that include paving the municipal parking lots and making crosswalk improvements at Maple Avenue.
Reconstruction of four tennis courts at Plainsboro Park, the replacement of two dugouts at Community Park, and vehicle and equipment replacements also are planned. The Police Department will receive body-worn cameras, video recording equipment for the patrol cars and an automatic license plate reader.
Money also is included in the capital budget for new software and hardware for the Code Enforcement Department. The Housing Division and the Fire Prevention Division will be able to use tablets to perform inspections.