WATCH: Bloomfield 2016 Budget Proposed, $16 Average Tax Increase For Homeowners

Bloomfield, NJ – Mayor Michael Venezia presented Bloomfield’s proposed 2016 municipal budget during Monday’s Township Council meeting, which features a tax increase of less than 0.5 percent.

According to a statement from Venezia, the proposed municipal budget totals about $78 million, with an average tax increase of $16 on a home assessed at the township average of $270,700.

The proposed budget comes with an increase in spending of less than 3 percent, the majority of which is “driven by increased employee health benefit costs and pension contributions,” as well as an $11 million surplus, according to the news release.

The proposed budget also seeks to make “the largest capital improvement investment in the township's aging infrastructure in many years by making long-neglected repairs to the municipal water system, paving more roads than ever before and making improvements to nine public parks,” according to Venezia.

If approved by the Bloomfield Township Council, the 2016 budget would include the lowest property tax increase in Bloomfield in 16 years, Venezia stated.

"When I ran for Mayor in 2013 I made a promise to Bloomfield that we would make government more efficient and keep property taxes stable, and this budget is the final confirmation that we have accomplished that important goal," Venezia said.

"Mayor Venezia’s proposed budget would proactively set aside funds to improve our infrastructure, especially the municipal water system which has caused residents so much concern in recent years, while also continuing our record of stable property taxes," stated Councilman Carlos Pomares in a release.

There will be an introduction and public hearings at upcoming meetings before the council will take a vote to approve it.

Watch Monday’s meeting video below.

Sign up for Patch email newsletters here.