Township Budget Adopted By Committee

Cranford commissioners officially adopted a $32 million budget yesterday for 2010. While officials stayed beneath a state-mandated 4 percent levy cap, the new budget means a tax increase for most – $198 more compared to last year, comprised of $168 for the separately billed sewer charge and a local rate of $30. The average Cranford property value for both 2009 and this year was assessed at $181,000.

This was the first time officials peeled off the sewer charge from the municipal budget, to stand as a separate fee, based on 7.2 percent of property municipal tax.

The town's rate is $1.286 per $100 in assessed property value  compared to $1.270 in 2009. 

"It's an increase. No one wanted an increase, but we tried to keep it as small as we could," Mayor Mark Smith said, reacting to the final budget. "It was the best this township committee could do without cutting municipal services."

Sewer Fee

Meanwhile Commissioner Daniel Aschenbach has continued to be a vocal critic of the splitting of the sewer charge from the rest of the municipal bill. He views the accounting manuever as a short-term fix to the long-term problem of keeping beneath state-mandated budget caps.

 "I provided 25 ideas to be considered yet the current mayor decided to opt for a sewer tax gimmick," he wrote in an e-mail, as he was not present at the meeting. However Smith responded to oppositional comments right before the budget meeting adjourned.

"There have been plenty of critics of the change in the way the sewer fee is collected.  Before the decision was made to move forward with the idea there were pleas for credible alternate solutions.  I heard none then and I hear none now," Smith said in closing statements.     

Aschenbach also objected to the initial sewer fee proposal, which was a flat fee of $190 per unit, an assessment that would have affected nonprofit organizations, who are exempt from paying taxes.

The flat, across-the-board fee was intended to keep the bill simple, but it instead drew complaints not only from nonprofit organizations, but from landlords whose sewer fees would be tied to the amount of tenants they rent to.

"We tried to simplify it, and we ended up complicating it," said Smith. 

As a result, the sewer fee plan adopted earlier this month keeps sewer fees identical to what they were previously – they will just be separated from the municipal tax bill, and nonprofits will continue to be exempt. 

Other Business

▪ The Downtown Mangement Corporation budget adoption date was moved by amendment to the next township meeting, Aug. 17.

▪ The township is advertising for bids from recycling pickup contractors. Health Board Director Warren Hehl said the township would look at cost-cutting recycling options, such as one-time recycling pick-up for the north and south sides of town instead of twice a month. The township may also look into pulling the recycling pickup service for non-profit institutions in town, excepting public schools.