By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD – The Township Committee has introduced a $5.49 million budget that will include a $17 tax increase for a resident who owns a home that is assessed at the township average.
The 2017 municipal budget was introduced on March 2. A public hearing on the budget will be held at 7 p.m. April 6 at the municipal building, 314 Route 539.
The $5.49 million budget will be supported by the collection of $2.79 million in taxes from Upper Freehold’s residential and commercial property owners. Other revenue includes $1.25 million from surplus funds (savings) and $518,481 in state aid.
In 2017, the municipal tax rate is projected to be 22.9 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The average home in Upper Freehold is assessed at $464,500 and the owner of that home will pay $1,063 in municipal taxes, according to budget documents.
The 2016 budget totaled $5.45 million and was supported by the collection of $2.73 million in taxes from residential and commercial property owners. Other revenue included $1.1 million from surplus funds and $518,481 in state aid.
The municipal tax rate was 22.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation in 2016. The average home in Upper Freehold was assessed at $465,000 and the owner of that home paid about $1,046 in municipal taxes last year.
Municipal taxes are one component of a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Monmouth County taxes, Upper Freehold Regional School District taxes and other assessments.
Among the other assessments residents pay is a municipal open space tax that will raise $731,481 this year to be used for the preservation and acquisition of open space parcels in Upper Freehold. The owner of a home assessed at $464,500 will pay $279 into the open space fund in 2017.
According to budget documents, selected appropriations in 2017 include municipal debt service, $1.58 million; reserve for uncollected taxes, $1 million; general government, $621,109; insurance, $429,133; public safety, $410,626; capital expenses, $270,000; public works, $246,505; statutory expenses, $207,532; shared services, $188,676; and utilities and bulk purchases, $104,000.
Those categories account for $5.06 million of the total $5.49 million budget.
Upper Freehold has 21 full-time employees, which includes five firefighters, and eight part-time employees, according to the budget documents. Total personnel costs for 2017 amount to $1.78 million. The township had a population of 6,900 residents according to a 2014 estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau.
