By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
COLTS NECK – The Township Committee has adopted a 2017 budget totaling $12.23 million that will be supported in part by the collection of $7.5 million in taxes from Colts Neck’s residential and commercial property owners.
Officials said $243,300 was budgeted for capital improvements that include the replacement of police vehicles, upgrades to police technology systems, fire department improvements, courtroom improvements, roof repairs, computer upgrades for all departments and funding to purchase dashboard cameras for police vehicles.
The budget was adopted with a 4-0 vote from Mayor Russell Macnow, Committeeman Edward Eastman, Committeeman Thomas Orgo and Committeeman Frank Rizzuto. Deputy Mayor J.P. Bartolomeo was absent.
Officials will use $1.28 million from surplus funds (savings) as revenue in the budget. State aid will remain flat at $1.98 million.
Colts Neck’s 2016 budget totaled $11.75 million and was supported by a tax levy of $7.21 million. The municipal tax rate was 24.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and the average assessed value of a home was $842,897. The owner of that home paid $2,031 in municipal taxes.
The 2017 tax rate is projected to be 25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and the average assessed value of a home is now $843,743, Tax Assessor William Laird said. The owner of that home will pay $2,109 in municipal taxes this year – an increase of $78.
Municipal taxes are one component of a property owner’s tax bill, which also includes Colts Neck K-8 School District taxes, Freehold Regional High School District taxes, Monmouth County taxes and other assessments.
Macnow said the 2017 budget is under the tax levy cap and the appropriations cap. He said a majority of the operating budget has remained the same from 2016.
One significant expense for 2017 will be legal services related to affordable housing litigation and other litigation. The 2017 spending plan has $659,125 budgeted for legal services, compared to $399,500 for 2016.
“While we are pressing forward with our litigation, we are looking for ways to minimize the expense to the township,” Macnow said. “While we litigate, we look at all the fields … any way we can bring this to a successful conclusion without a dramatic impact on this town.”
Officials highlighted infrastructure improvements that will address what they called “some long overdue repairs and upgrades, mainly to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and drainage system repairs at town hall.”
Macnow said there is equipment in the Department of Public Works that needs to be repaired.
“While we are not purchasing new vehicles or equipment this year, we are investing in strategic repairs and maintenance of the vehicles and equipment we do have,” he said.
The 2017 budget has the fire department budget at $108,735, compared to $98,850 for 2016. The fire department budget had remained flat since 2013 before this year’s increase, according to municipal officials, who said the increase is the result of higher general operating expenses and maintenance costs for aging fire trucks.
Funding has been set aside to hire a new police officer and employee health insurance costs have increased by about 6 percent.
Recycling services costs have increased from $65,400 to $97,000, and recycling grants have decreased from $37,798 to $24,862, Township Administrator Kathleen Capristo said.
“On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank our Chief Financial Officer John Antonides, our auditor Bob Allison, our administrator Kathleen Capristo and all of our department heads for working diligently to get us a reasonable budget, one that I think the public will see as a very prudent exercise of fiscal restraint and one that maximizes the benefit of the town,” Macnow said. “We would also like to thank the members of the public who participated in our budget workshops. Public input is very important.”
