By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN – Borough Council members have introduced a $2.4 million budget that will keep the municipal tax rate stable during 2017.
The council will hold a public hearing on the budget on April 24.
Laurie Finger, the borough’s chief financial officer, said the budget will be supported by the collection of $1.5 million in taxes from Englishtown’s residential and commercial property owners. The borough will receive $142,206 in state aid and officials will use $305,000 from surplus (savings) as revenue in the budget.
The municipal tax rate will remain stable at 62.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, according to Finger. The owner of a home assessed at $300,000 will pay $1,863 in municipal taxes in 2017. The collection of garbage and recyclable materials is included in the municipal taxes.
In 2016, the budget totaled $2.36 million and was supported by a local tax levy of $1.49 million, the use of $258,000 from surplus and $142,206 in state aid. The tax rate was 62.1 cents and the owner of a home assessed at $300,000 paid $1,863 in municipal taxes.
In 2015, the budget totaled $2.4 million and was supported by a local tax levy of $1.42 million, the use $325,000 from surplus and $142,206 in state aid. The tax rate was 59.1 cents and the owner of a home assessed at $300,000 paid $1,773 in municipal taxes.
An individual will pay more or less in municipal taxes based on the assessment of his property and/or home.
Finger said capital improvements for 2017 will consist of the purchase of a new dump truck for the Department of Public Works at a cost of $65,000 and the continuation of improvements to Carriage Lane. The Carriage Lane improvements were included in the 2016 budget.
The 2017 budget includes the following appropriations: police department, salaries and wages, $616,000 (up from $599,870); police operations, $106,800 (up from $105,200); municipal debt service, $209,500 (down from $212,550); employee group health insurance, $201,000 (employees to pay $21,000 of that amount); and garbage collection and disposal, $150,000 (up from $140,000).
Englishtown has 11 full-time employees and 22 part-time employees. The borough’s estimated population for 2015 was 1,955 residents.
In addition to municipal taxes, a property owner’s tax bill also includes Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes and Monmouth County taxes.
