Draft Budget Includes Slight Tax Increase In Point Pleasant Beach

POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — Point Pleasant Beach homeowners would see a slight increase in their municipal taxes under the 2023 budget, borough officials said Tuesday night.

Mayor Paul Kanitra, however, has asked officials to see if they could trim the increase further.

Borough Administrator Christine Riehl presented preliminary figures to Kanitra and the Borough Council during the 2023 budget workshop meeting on Tuesday.

The draft includes a 1.1-cent increase in the tax rate, she said, which would translate to an increase of about $57 for a home assessed at $500,000.

That 1.1 percent increase reflects a $305,000 increase in the tax levy, Riehl said.

Kanitra asked Riehl to look at the budget again to see if that increase could be reduced to 1 cent or even 9-10ths of a cent, without cutting programs.

"We've traditionally kept increases under a penny," he said.

Health insurance costs continue to be a concern for all towns, and Kanitra asked if that was an avenue where the borough could find savings.

Riehl said any changes in health insurance wouldn't be reflected in the 2023 budget because it's a longer process to make a change.

Kanitra thanked Riehl for her hard work on the budget and in managing the town's finances.

The budget workshop preceded the Borough Council's business meeting on Tuesday night. The 2023 budget is expected to be introduced at the March 28 meeting.