BRIDGEWATER, NJ — A bipartisan Bridgewater Township Council approved a $54.9 million municipal budget on May 7 for 2026, adopting a spending plan that includes a slight increase for residents.
The 2025 budget was $51.5 million, making the increase for 2026 about $3.375 million.
The municipal tax rate will rise from .2440 to .2448. This means that a township home assessed at $600,000 in 2025 paid $1,464 a year in municipal taxes.
With an assessed value of about $660,000 in 2026, the annual municipal tax bill would be $1,615.68, an increase of $151.68 per year or around $13 a month.
The budget supports recreation programs, road improvements, senior programming, public works equipment, technology infrastructure, public safety upgrades, and park improvements. Previous Reporting: Bridgewater's $54.9M Budget Proposes Tax Increase For Residents
The township is also looking to continue road work and move forward on several park and drainage projects.
Before the vote, Council President Joan Geiger described the budget work as a joint effort across party lines. For the first time in almost 40 years, the Council is Democrat led with three Democrats and two Republicans.
"We are all learning. But I cannot emphasize enough how much of a collaborative effort this was," Geiger said. "We are listening to each other. We are working together. We are collaborating."
Geiger said she met with Pappas for three hours to review the budget line by line and said council members brought different priorities to the process, including concerns about public works, redevelopment, and commercial tax revenue.
"It’s not a perfect budget, and I think we’re all aware of the fact that we need to improve the surplus," said Geiger.
Council Vice President Andrew Bucko thanked Mayor Matthew Moench, Township Administrator Michael Pappas and the finance team led by Sarah Hausman.
Bucko said the township remained able "to maintain the level of services for the residents of the town" while also investing in municipal employees.
Councilman Michael Kirsh said, "I think the process worked very well this year."
He said the township’s responsibility for the budget continues beyond the vote because additional money will come in and additional decisions will need to be made.
Councilman Timothy Ring noted that "no budget is perfect," and called the council’s budget work collaborative.
After the vote, Ring noted it was "the first budget in several years that no one on this dais has voted against."
Moench thanked council members and township staff, calling 2026 "a unique year" because the council now includes split-party representation and three new members.
He credited the finance team, Pappas, auditors, and staff for handling hours of questions during the budget process.
The budget was previously introduced at the April 9 Council meeting. See below or click here to watch the full budget presentation from the April 9 Council meeting (beginning at 40:32):
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