Essex County Commissioners Hold 2023 Budget Hearings: WATCH

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The 2023 budget season marched on for Essex County officials Monday and Tuesday, with the board of commissioners hearing presentations from each of the county’s 21 departments.

Commissioner President Wayne Richardson said he was “particularly pleased” with the tone of the budget hearings, which can often turn “tense and adversarial.”

“Coming through the worst of COVID, and the social and economic upheavals of the last two years, our county departments have had startling success in shepherding the county residents, businesses and students with compassionate, progressive programs that meet the needs of every neighborhood,” Richardson said.

Approving the annual operating and capital budgets of Essex County is one of several duties granted to the board of commissioners by the Optional County Charter Law.

Earlier this month, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. presented an $885.4 million proposed budget for 2023. Homeowners would see the county portion of their property taxes rise by about 1.5 percent under the spending plan. Read More: Tax Hike Expected In 2023 Essex County Budget, Official Says

Property taxes in New Jersey are made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. In 2021, the average property owner paid roughly 52.9 percent of their total for school taxes, 29.4 percent for municipal taxes and 17.8 percent for county taxes.

Watch videos of the most recent commission meetings below, or see more meeting videos here.

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