By Andrew Martins
Staff Writer
PLUMSTED – The Township Committee has introduced a $3.5 million budget to fund the operation of the community of 8,500 residents in 2016.
Officials said the budget, which was introduced March 2, complies with state financial regulations. A public hearing on the budget will be held at 7 p.m. April 6 at the municipal building, Evergreen Road.
“We have tried to keep all of our costs in line, as we do every year in Plumsted,” Mayor Jack Trotta said. “We have really watched every penny … we have a small budget and every dollar adds up.”
The $3.5 million budget will be supported in part by the collection of $1.96 million from residential and commercial property owners in Plumsted.
The 2015 budget totaled $3.58 million and was supported in part by the collection of $1.89 million in local taxes.
Plumsted officials expect to receive $452,322 in state aid in 2016 — the same amount the municipality received in 2014 and 2015.
This year, the municipal tax rate will increase from 24.1 cents to 25.1 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
In 2015, the average home in Plumsted was assessed at $279,100 and the owner of that home paid $673 in municipal taxes.
In 2016, the average home in Plumsted is assessed at $279,293 and the owner of that home will pay $701 in municipal taxes.
The increase in the municipal tax rate will have a different impact on each property owner depending on the assessed value of his home and/or property.
Municipal taxes are one component of a property owner’s total tax bill. Property owners also pay Plumsted Township School District taxes, Ocean County taxes and other assessments.
Trotta said the 2016 budget is proposed to see an increase to funds outside the 2 percent cap on the tax levy for capital improvements to about $94,000. Those funds are needed, the mayor said, to make improvements around town.
“There are things we have to do. We have to make investments in equipment and buildings and once we make those investments, we have to maintain them,” Trotta said. “Without money in those areas, we can’t do it. To make our budget better this year, we absolutely increased some of those areas to make those investments that we have to make today and tomorrow.”
The municipal budget pays for items such as the police department, municipal professionals such as attorneys and engineers, and the administration of the municipality.
Police salaries and wages have increased from $762,200 in 2015 to $784,435 in 2016, according to the budget.
In 2016, municipal employees will pay about $62,000 of Plumsted’s projected group health insurance costs of more than $364,000. Both totals are reduced from 2015 when employees paid more than $72,000 of the health insurance costs of more than $409,000.
This year’s municipal operating expenses include interlocal services agreements with the Plumsted Township School District for the continuation of courtesy busing ($54,778) and school resource officers ($120,000).
