$37.26M 2026 Budget Approved In Barnegat

BARNEGAT, NJ — The Barnegat Township Committee adopted the township’s 2026 municipal budget after a public hearing, approving a spending plan of $37,259,260.59 and a tax increase of 1.97 cents. Based on the average assessed home value of $275,003.57, the increase amounts to about $54.35 for the year, according to the budget presentation.

The budget was presented by township CPO Tom Lombarski, who said it would be the last one he presents before retiring. He said the budget process included meetings with department heads to review prior-year spending, line items and changes in needs for 2026, including capital requests such as trucks and vehicles. He also said the introduced budget had been posted on the township website and that the adopted budget and a user-friendly budget would also be made available there.

During the presentation, Lombarski said this was the 11th straight year the budget had been submitted on time. He said the spending plan is “a sound and prudent budget” that will meet pension and debt obligations and complies with state appropriation cap and levy cap calculations. He also said the township was self-examined this year and did not need state review before adoption, though the budget was sent to the township auditor for review.

The budget uses $4,750,000 in surplus to help balance the spending plan. Other figures read into the record included $4,273,045.30 in miscellaneous revenues anticipated, $625,000 in receipts from delinquent taxes and $27,611,215.29 to be raised by taxation for municipal purposes.

On the appropriations side, general appropriations within caps for operations, including contingent, total $26,605,262. Deferred charges and statutory expenditures total $4,505,855. Operations excluded from caps total $1,197,580.30, while capital improvements are $1,825,000 and municipal debt service is $2,002,000. Deferred charges outside the cap total $83,500, and the reserve for uncollected taxes is $1,040,063.29.

During public comment, a speaker identified as Christopher Velder of Barnegat thanked the finance officer for his work. Velder said, “I think that you have done a fantastic job.” He also said, “You pinch every penny.”

The committee unanimously approved the budget.