BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield homeowners will see a hefty increase to their municipal taxes under the town's new budget.
The Bloomfield Township Council voted 5-2 to approve the 2026 municipal budget earlier this week.
The $114.5 million spending plan got "yes" votes from Jenny Mundell, Rosalee Gonzalez, Sarah Cruz, Monica Charris Tabares and Jill Fischman. It received "no" votes from Tracy Toler-Phillips and Nicholas Joanow.
The budget comes with a 12.1 percent tax levy increase – more than three times last year's number. An average homeowner with a property assessed at $355,263 will see a $589 annual hike to the municipal portion of their taxes (this number doesn't include school and county taxes, see below).
Town administrator Anthony DeZenzo said the spending plan aims to maintain essential services while minimizing the tax impact.
As he has stated during other recent presentations to the council, DeZenzo pointed to "significant cost increases outside the township's control" as the reasons for the tax hike. They include the rising cost of health benefits, pensions, salaries and insurance, in addition to other expenses.
Administrators have attempted to limit the tax burden by freezing hiring, dipping into the township's surplus from 2025, and rolling out other "operational efficiencies," he said.
Cuts to the municipal workforce under the new budget include the loss of eight police and fire department positions each, five full-time department of public works positions, three administrative positions and a finance department position.
The budget will raise $79.26 million through the municipal tax levy. It utilizes about $7.3 million of surplus.
View the administration's budget presentation for 2026 here. The budget synopsis and other financial documents can be viewed online here.
The budget has seen a wide range of reactions in Bloomfield, including from several people who offered criticisms during the public comment portion of Tuesday's hearing. Meanwhile, the town's mayor has defended the budget and called it "responsible," although she acknowledged it may present a burden for some local families.
In the following video, the Bloomfield Township Council holds a public hearing and votes on the 2026 municipal budget (article continues below):
MAYOR: 'A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET'
Mayor Jenny Mundell shared her reaction to the town's latest budget after Tuesday's vote.
"While this is a responsible budget that maintains long-term fiscal stability for our township, I know that any tax increase, especially one of this size, might be a real burden on local families and neighbors," Mundell said.
"As your mayor, it is never a decision I take lightly or want to make," she added.
"I want to be clear that this outcome has nothing to do with overspending or poor fiscal management," Mundell said, pointing to a favorable credit analysis from Moody's Ratings that was issued earlier this year.
The mayor continued:
"Before bringing this budget forward, our township administrator and department heads worked tirelessly for months, turning over every stone to trim costs, eliminate inefficiencies, and cut expenses wherever possible. Our top priority throughout that entire process was ensuring we protected the core services, safety, and community programs you rely on every day… I know that for some of our neighbors, any added expense presents a real challenge. If you or your family are struggling to make ends meet, please reach out to our Bloomfield Human Services Department. Our dedicated team is here to assist with confidential benefit screenings, connect residents to utility, housing, and food support, and help eligible seniors and homeowners navigate New Jersey's property tax relief programs (like ANCHOR and Senior Freeze). You can reach Human Services directly at (973) 680-4017 or visit them on the first floor of Town Hall."
"I remain fully committed to managing your tax dollars with care, accountability, and transparency, while ensuring Bloomfield continues to receive the quality services our town deserves," Mundell said.
'SAME PLAYBOOK YEAR AFTER YEAR'
On the flip side of the coin, Tracy Toler-Phillips explained why she voted "no" on the spending plan in a social media post.
According to the councilwoman, there are three reasons she gave it a thumbs down:
Other Bloomfield residents such as former town council candidate Satenik Margaryan have questioned the administration's claims that their hands were tied by a lack of discretionary spending.
"Four words carried this entire budget: outside of local control," Margaryan commented in a recent blog post.
"But the costs are statewide and the increase is local: Montclair held under three percent this year, South Orange under four, all facing the same pensions, the same mandates, the same health care market," Margaryan said.
"A budget is the clearest statement a government makes about who it answers to," she said. "Not to us, residents. This one thing was clear."
Another local pundit, Doug Grant – who clashed with town officials last year as chair of the Bloomfield Rent Leveling Board – said the 12.1 percent tax increase comes after the town's ratable base grew.
"In a well-run town, growth lowers your burden," Grant criticized. "Here it just feeds the machine."
SCHOOL BUDGET
Property taxes in New Jersey are mainly made up of three parts: school, municipal and county.
The municipal tax represents about 38 percent of the total property tax bill, with the remaining 62 percent allocated to county and school taxes, township officials recently reported.
The Bloomfield Board of Education approved the 2026-2027 school budget in April. The spending plan includes a 4.97 percent increase to the local tax levy.
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