Township Presents 2011 Municipal Budget

Springfield Deputy Mayor David Amlen wants residents to look at the big picture when they look at their property tax bill this year.

The average municipal property tax is estimated to be $375 more than it was last year. But, Amlen said, because the bill , which were paid as a, property owners will only be paying $125 more to the Township than they did the previous year.

Amlen said that once you account for the money from the RVSA, the average tax increase is less than last year’s. He said that including RVSA fees, the average property owners’ tax burden increased by six percent from 2009 to 2010. This year, Amlen said, the increase is 4.5 percent.

“You’ve got to compare apples to apples,” Amlen said.

Amlen, who chaired the Township Committee’s finance committee, said he would have liked to get the budget down further, but that several major expenses were unavoidable.  He cited a settlement with the fire fighter’s union that was decided last year.

“The settlement was for $300,000,” Amlen said. “That alone is a 1.5 percent increase over last year.”

Pension costs also rose, but the township’s medical insurance decreased significantly after the Township Committee put public employees on the state’s medical plan. 

The budget, which has been introduced but is not finalized, does not call for any lay-offs or cuts in services.

Earlier this year, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie placed a two percent cap on municipal property tax increases. The law makes exceptions for pensions, insurance, capital projects and debt service.

Amlen emphasized that the municipal taxes are only part of the overall property tax bill; the Board of Education and Union County are also part of the tax bill.

The full budget is available online here.