NJ Spotlight’s Interactive Map: Municipal Aid

In his budget address, Gov. Chris Christie talked about a record level of school aid, the 2 percent property tax cap, and pension reform all helping blunt property tax increases.

Municipal officials ask, “What about us?”

Aid to local governments has been declining since it peaked in 2007. Christie is proposing 22 percent less aid this year than municipalities got five years ago. At the same time, inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, rose by 9 percent.

Where does your town stand? Click on NJ Spotlight’s map to find the percent change in municipal aid from the state from 2007 and Gov. Christie’s recommendation for the current year.

For instance, Montclair and Livingston have seen their share of state aid drop 31.7 percent. It’s down 29.9 percent in Millburn. And 19.8 percent lower in Newark.

A special hearing of the Assembly Budget Committee was held on Monday. Read the full story in NJ Spotlight @ Budget: Municipal Aid.

Below is data from some Essex County communities. (Source: NJ Spotlight’s analysis of NJ Division of Local Government Services data).

Millburn Township
2007 Aid: $3,418,582
2011 Aid: $2,396,159
2011 Transitional Aid: $0
2012 Proposed Aid: $2,396,159
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -29.9%

Montclair Township
2007 Aid: $4,343,101
2011 Aid: $2,967,066
2011 Transitional Aid: $0
2012 Proposed Aid: $2,967,066
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -31.7%

Livingston Township
2007 Aid: $4,341,249
2011 Aid: $2,966,460
2011 Transitional Aid: $0
2012 Proposed Aid: $2,966,460
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -31.7%

Township of South Orange Village
2007 Aid: $2,118,824
2011 Aid: $1,456,861
2011 Transitional Aid: $0
2012 Proposed Aid: $1,456,861
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -31.2%

West Orange Township
2007 Aid: $6,235,923
2011 Aid: $4,696,469
2011 Transitional Aid: $0
2012 Proposed Aid: $4,696,469
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -24.7%

Newark City
2007 Aid: $113,766,374
2011 Aid: $91,290,117
2011 Transitional Aid: $32,000,000
2012 Proposed Aid: $91,290,117
Change 2011-2012 (without transitional aid): 0.0%
Change 2007-2012: -19.8%