|
Acropolis: Brick's Tax Rate Cannot Be Raised More Than 3.9 Cents
By Keith Hagarty
Brick residents will not see their township property taxes rise by more than 3.9 cents in the coming year, Mayor Stephen Acropolis announced last week.
"The state of New Jersey, as most people know, has put a levy tax on our budget," said Acropolis, "which means that the most the taxes can go up next year- if they do go up- is 3.9 cents."
In April, Governor Jon Corzine signed a property tax relief bill which places a four percent local levy cap on school, municipal and fire district budgets.
"We can basically tell you what your taxes are going to go up by next year because the state of New Jersey has set that number in there," said Acropolis. "It's a hard number."
Earlier this year, the township council adopted the $71 million municipal operating budget and a 4.9-cent tax rate increase, bringing the overall tax rate to 90.2 cents for every $100 of assessed property value. Therefore the owner of a Brick home assessed at $150,000 paid about $74.50 more in taxes in 2007.
With a maximum state-issued cap clamping down on any potential municipal tax rate increase, it's up to the township administration and governing body to work even harder to provide services for residents under tighter restrictions, said Acropolis.
"That leaves a lot of work to do in the budget, because we're probably in the range of a $2 million to $3 million adjustment that's going to have to be made," he said, "such as with liquor licenses and things like that."
The township's various departments have already been alerted of the state's new parameters and will adjust appropriately.
"We have sent the budget back to the department heads, who are going to have to look at them again, and sharpen their pencils, and I know the council is going to go through the budget process at the beginning of next year like we did the last couple of years," said Acropolis. "What we need to do is work with the different departments and hopefully get across with the different groups that there is no wiggle room. There's nothing that can be done- that (3.9 cents) is the most that the budget (tax rate) can go up."
While he applauds efforts to reduce property taxes throughout the state, Acropolis said the recent caps may inadvertently penalize towns like Brick, which have done their best to manage their finances in a responsible manner.
"The towns that have wasted money now can cut back and possibly not be as impacted as we would be," said Acropolis. "People wanted control on the taxes. The governor and the L Legislature came up with a plan. They thought it was a good plan. I don't necessarily think it's a great plan, but now we have to live by it."
While the caps clamp down on municipal budgets, the town's capital budget, such as for major building and improvement projects, would not be as heavily impacted.
"If we're going to do a project, then it's much better to be done under the capital projects rather than the regular township budget," said Acropolis.
One of the options for further trimming the budget could be in regards to retiring municipal employees.
"One of the things we're trying to do is not replace people as they retire, if we don't have to," said Acropolis. "Particularly if the department heads feel the workload can be accomplished and spread out amongst the other employees in their office."
To get a jump on the new year and hopefully hit the ground running, the mayor said he and the township administrator have already begun preliminary meetings with the townships' budget finance committee.
"There's going to have to be a lot of tightening," said Acropolis. "We've got a lot of work to do between now and March when we introduce the budget."
| 
