By Mark Rosman
Staff Writer
The Monmouth County Board of Freeholders has adopted a $445.25 million budget that will keep the tax levy for 2017 stable at the 2016 amount.
The budget was adopted on March 23.
A resolution passed by the freeholders lists the following general revenues to support the spending plan: $43.5 million from the county’s surplus fund (savings); $99.27 million from miscellaneous revenues anticipated; and $302.47 million to be raised through taxation. That is the same amount that was raised from residential and commercial property owners in 2016.
The 2017 appropriations are as follows: $347.24 million for operations; $57.96 million for debt service; $36.5 million for deferred charges and statutory expenses; and $3.55 million for capital improvements.
As of the 2016 Census estimate, the county’s population was 625,846.
The county budget covers the cost of providing for the maintenance of 1,000 lane miles of roads, more than 900 bridges, 16,000 acres of county parks, emergency management, 911 communications, law enforcement through the prosecutor’s and sheriff’s offices, elections, deed recording and passport services in the county clerk’s office, probate and adoptions through the surrogate’s office and more, according to a press release.
The freeholders also established a 2017 budget for the Monmouth County Reclamation Center, Tinton Falls.
The budget totals $34.57 million and includes $30.99 million for operations and $3.58 million for debt service. Revenues show $25.82 million in utility fees anticipated and $8.75 million from surplus funds.
There will not be any capital improvements at the reclamation center this year, according to the budget resolution.
