By Kayla J. Marsh
Staff Writer
SHREWSBURY – The Borough Council has introduced a $9.3 million budget that will increase municipal taxes for many residents by approximately $80 a month.
The budget, introduced at the council’s March 21 meeting, includes a municipal tax levy of $7,137,179.20, up from last year’s tax levy of $6,634,309.29.
The municipal budget also includes an estimated tax rate of 63.8 cents per $100 of assessed value, a 2.57 percent increase from 62.2 cents in 2015.
For a home valued at the township average of $496,184.03, this equals $3,165.65 in municipal taxes per year or a monthly increase of $79.39 to township homeowners.
The governing body said the proposed budget is in compliance with state law.
“The budget is basically flat, it is up about $15,000 and that is mostly due, as many municipalities are dealing with, an increase in pension funds and insurance funds,” Mayor Donald Burden said.
“Our energy receipt has also remained flat and that hasn’t increased in two or three years.”
Burden said down the road, the borough would have a few things to look at when it comes to the budget.
“Next year we’re looking at possibly a new fleet of vehicles for Department of Public Works,” he said. “Coming down the road next, we also incurred some debt with the new borough hall and fire department, which will roll off in about three years and which will take some pressure off.”
Burden said while there are several factors affecting the budget, and numbers can still change before it is open to a public hearing and adoption at the Borough Council’s April 18 meeting.
“We are making every effort to work with surrounding communities and continuing our shared services and embarking on new ones,” he said.
“I feel good we’re controlling expenses as much as we can and being very attentive to our operations.”
