Preliminary Budgets Will Push Brick's Municipal, School Taxes Higher

Brick Township residents could see an increase of about $100 in property taxes this year, between potential increases in the municipal and school budgets.

The $100 is based on the value of a median home in town, which officials say is about $248,900.

Both the township council and school board approved preliminary budgets in March; the municipal budget is scheduled for a public hearing on April 21, while the school budget is scheduled for a public hearing on April 30.

The municipal budget, presented by Mayor John Ducey, was broken down for council members at council meetings in late February and early March, where the various department heads laid out their budget requests for 2015.

Ducey, in presenting the full budget on March 17, said it reflects continued efforts to reduce overtime and cut other unneeded costs, while at the same time providing a surplus of about $6 million.

It would increase the tax rate about 1.9 cents, or roughly $47 for a median home, Ducey said.

The proposed municipal budget is $639,630 higher than the 2014 finalized budget, an increase of .65 percent, according to township officials. The tax levy is $69,861,325, an increase of $1,949,786.

“In the four years since I was elected and the majority on the council changed, the tax levy has increased a total of $2,290,248,” Ducey said. “In the four years prior to that, the tax levy increased a total of $25,564,069.”

“Leaving a significant surplus balance ... is looked upon positively by bond rating agencies which translates to lowering interest rates for the town,” Ducey said. “It also provides the township with the ability to more effectively manage cash flow and a ‘rainy day’ fund for emergencies.”

The proposed school budget, adopted at a special meeting on March 23, has an increase of about 1.8 percent, according to budget information presented March 19.

The school budget increase, which Business Administrator James Edwards said translates to about $50 on the median home, could see some changes, however, as board members expressed displeasure with increasing the tax rate that much.

Half of the increase is attributable to debt service on bonds from referendums that voters approved in years past to take care of needed repairs and upgrades to the district’s school buildings, most of which are more than 30 years old. Some have newer sections, but only the Warren H. Wolf Elementary School is less than 30 years old -- and that building was purchased after it was constructed as a commercial site, rather than the district building it.

The proposed total budget is $147,703,870, with a tax levy of $98,501,193.

The school budget hearing is set for April 30.