MIDDLETOWN – The proposed 2014 municipal budget represents an ongoing commitment to hold a tight rein on spending.
“We remain focused on providing essential government services at the most efficient and effective levels possible,” said Mayor Stephanie C. Murray. “We also continue to explore additional ways to cut costs and generate new revenues and if not for the extremely harsh winter we’ve had, our tax levy would have likely remained nearly flat.”
The proposed budget the Township Committee is expected to introduce tonight reflects a 2.88 percent tax levy increase and a consistent effort to cut costs without sacrificing core essential government services. The proposed change would cost the average Middletown homeowner about $ 4.56 per month.
A series of significant winter storms, near record snow accumulations and extreme cold weather events in 2014 account for 74% of the change in the proposed tax levy. Winter storm costs from January until now have reached $1.5 million, an increase of over $1 million compared to 2013 and most prior years.
Budget Facts
- Weather related costs for 2014 account for about 2.14% of the 2.88% change in the tax levy.
- Additional cost drivers include rising insurance costs, and state-mandated pension costs. Insurance costs have increased $550,000 or 6.5%. The proposed budget also includes an additional $371,223 for state-mandated pension contributions.
- The Township experiences savings through shared service agreements with other municipalities and the Middletown Board of Education.
- Significant savings in utility bills are also being realized as a result of an energy audit, upgrades to lighting and HVAC systems and purchasing natural gas and electric in aggregate as part of a cooperative of government agencies. The energy audit and upgrades were fully funded with grant monies.
- The 2014 municipal budget is in full conformance with the state’s cap levy law.
- The Township budget makes up only approximately 21% of the average property tax bill, the remaining portion relates to the school and county tax levies.
- On average, Middletown Township levy increases have been lower than Monmouth County Municipalities and the State of New Jersey throughout the last decade.