EAST BRUNSWICK– During a meeting on April 25, the East Brunswick Township Council officially adopted the municipal budget for 2022.
Council President James Wendell, Council Vice President Kevin McEvoy, Councilwoman Sharon Sullivan, and Councilwoman Dana Zimbicki all voted “yes” to adopt the $74.07 million budget.
To support this year’s budget, East Brunswick’s residential and commercial property owners will pay $44.82 million in local taxes. Included in the total tax levy is $42.08 million to support municipal operations and $2.74 million to support the local library.
An appropriation of $4.20 million from East Brunswick’s surplus fund (savings) will be used as revenue in the budget. Other revenue sources ($25.05 million) will fund the balance of the budget.
In 2021, the township’s municipal budget totaled $72.05 million. A tax levy of $44.27 million was collected from residential and commercial property owners. Of that total amount, $41.72 million supported municipal operations and $2.55 million supported the library.
Officials also appropriated $3.20 million from the surplus fund to be used as revenue in the budget. Revenue from other sources ($24.58 million) funded the balance of the budget.
From 2021 to 2022, total budget appropriations increased by $2.02 million. Similarly, the total tax levy also increased by $550,000.
Officials could not immediately provide information regarding East Brunswick’s municipal tax rate for 2022, the average assessment of a home in the township nor the impact of the proposed budget on a property owner’s municipal taxes.
Municipal taxes are one item on a property owner’s tax bill. Property owners also pay Middlesex County taxes and East Brunswick Public School taxes.
The amount an individual pays in property taxes is determined by the assessed value of his home and/or property, and the tax rate that is set by each taxing entity.
Selected appropriations in the 2022 municipal budget include the following: employee group insurance -$10.55 million; police patrol salaries and wages – $6.87 million; capital improvement fund – $6.12 million; payment of bond principal – $5.33 million; interest on bonds – $983,695, solid waste management – $3.6 million; payment to Police and Fireman’s Retirement System of New Jersey – $3.5 million; payment to Social Security System – $2.15 million; administrative salaries and wages – $1.7 million; recycling – $1.6 million, payment to Public Employee’s Retirement System – $1.4 million.
