East Windsor Council Approves $22 Million Budget With No Tax Increase

EAST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, NJ — For the fifth consecutive year, East Windsor Township taxpayers will see no increase in their municipal taxes. East Windsor Council adopted a $22,015,365 budget on April 18 that holds taxes steady at a rate of 43 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. For the average current residential assessment of $258,287, the 2017 municipal tax is $1,122.

“The East Windsor municipal component of the total local property tax bill remains at less than 15 percent,” East Windsor Mayor Janice S. Mironov said. “The East Windsor municipal tax component is among the lowest amounts in the entire region and well below the statewide average. And yet we continue to deliver a very high quality level of services to our residents.”

This year’s municipal budget is 2.15 percent more than the 2016 approved budget of $21,552,312. This year’s municipal tax levy amount is well below the available state cap levy amounts. The available tax levy allowance would enable a further increase of $1,713,920 that is an additional 6.2 cents on the municipal tax rate.

“This is a fiscally conservative budget document which well serves our community and retains all existing service levels,” Mironov said. “East Windsor has worked hard to keep our spending levels tight and continually seek out additional efficiencies, cooperative purchasing avenues and service sharing opportunities, and maintained a very low debt level. This positive outcome results from the proactive efforts of the township to carefully plan and to closely monitor expenditures and revenues throughout the year.”

Mironov also spoke about the state withholding money from municipalities.

“At the same time, the State of New Jersey continues to flatline municipal state funding and unjustly divert millions and millions of municipal dollars which should be going to towns for property tax relief for our taxpayers,” Mironov said.

The new solar array at the police/court facility, and the shared services agreement with Hightstown Borough for dispatch services highlight several initiatives Mironov said will save money and generate revenue for the township.

The township’s tax base has also increased this year, by over $18.5 million to $2,757,172,885, according to officials. Mironov credits East Windsor’s support for existing business and efforts to expand business opportunities and attract new commercial retables with the township’s financial success.

In addition to many new stores and restaurant openings and new retail developments as The Shoppes at East Windsor and Galleria at Twin Rivers and Lightbridge Academy, several new pharma companies have located to or expanded within the township.

Other East Windsor current major projects include another Shiseido expansion (to 311,000 square feet), Hovione expansion doubling their size to 52,000 square feet, Aurobindo Pharma on Windsor Center Drive (599,000 square feet), Gateway Twin Rivers on Milford Road (411,000 square feet), and redevelopment of the former NL site on Wyckoff Mills Road 2,757,172,885 (635,000 square feet).

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