$57.4M Livingston Budget Passes With Small Tax Increase

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Livingston Town Council voted 6-0 on Thursday to pass a $57.4 million town budget with a 1 percent increase in the portion to come from municipal taxes.

This will increase the municipal portion of the average homeowner's tax bill by $53.77 in 2022.

Since property taxes are influenced by three budgets each year — the school budget, Essex County budget, and town budget — those tax increases come into play too. Thus, the average homeowner in Livingston will pay a total $171.07 tax increase in calendar year 2022.

The budget was introduced in a July meeting and approved at the Thursday, Aug. 11 council meeting after a public hearing.

Where's The Money Going?

A powerpoint presentation includes a breakdown of where the money goes.

The presentation said that some of the biggest cost increases this year were due to public works salaries (contractual amounts), insurance, gas and electricity, and more.

Among the biggest expenditures in the 2022 budget:

• Public safety salaries and costs make up the biggest portion, at 31 percent or $16.72M. This is similar in many cities.
• Debt and capital projects make up 16 percent.
• Public works makes up 11 percent.
• Library, 7 percent.
• Trash and recycling, 6 percent.

As for revenues, 71.2 percent of the budget is paid for with taxes. 5.7 percent comes from state aid, and 6.5 percent from construction and other fees, licenses, and permits.

Towns often pass their budgets late in the year after waiting for information on state aid and other factors.

See the full powerpoint presentation here.

See a budget summary in the council packet here.

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