Barnegat Budget Up Nearly A Million Since Last Year

The Barnegat municipal tax rate could rise a hefty 7.2 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation this year, which translates into an extra $171 a year for a home assessed at the township average, according to The Sandpaper.

Township Committee members recently introduced a preliminary budget of $24,199,894, up $855,000 from last year.

The largest increase in the budget was employee health benefits, which rose from 1,947,170 to $2,424,358, Township Administrator Martin Lisella said.

State aid remains flat from last year, at $1,048, 932.

“There are also increases in contractual salaries,” he said. “You have to figure that in every year when you prepare the budget.”

Mayor John Novak said the township has yet to receive roughly $400,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds for reimbursement in Superstorm Sandy expenses.

“It gets frustrating because the state mandates some of your costs, yet it expects the town to pay for them,” he said. “We don’t like to raise taxes, but I don’t think people would be too happy if we cut the essential services they need, anything from garbage collection to having a well-run police department making them feel safe to live here.”

The public hearing on the budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 3.

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