Green Brook Residents Face $100 Tax Increase in New Budget

Residents will see property taxes rise by an average of $100 in the 2012 municipal budget approved at the July 30 Township Committee meeting, authorizing a total of $6,217,361.74 to be raised in local property taxes.

The budget is expected to set a tax rate of $0.446 per $100 in assessed value, up from 2011's rate of $0.425. The rate translates into a municipal tax bill of $2,143.47 for the owner of a property assessed at the township average of $480,600—however, Tax Assessor Raymond Murray notes residents need to be sure to check their actual assessments, since the township has been conducting reassessments.

"The town has completed a review of the assessed values in all residential neighborhoods over the past two years, with about half of the residential neighborhoods seeing a reduction in their assessed value in each of the last two years," Murray said in an email after the Township Committee appproved the budget.

He estimates the new budget will add about $21 per $100,000 in assessed value, or about $100 for the owner of a property assessed at $480,600 for the last two years.  

The budget includes an additional $330,450.14 in spending, of which almost $170,400 wil be raised by taxes.

“Total spending went from $7,947,697.97 to $8,278,148.11," Murray said. "Much of that difference was related to increased grants received by the town.” 

Murray added that residents should check their own tax bills and assessments, and reach out to him if they have any questions.

Earlier this year, Murray provided a budget statement (attached to this article) noting the township would be filling some positions that have been vacant in recent years, as well as noting the budget's spending priorities for road projects and for emergency services. 

“The budget includes road repaving including Rock Road West and several other resurfacing projects – $350,000 (with $165,000 coming from the town and 185,000 coming from the DoT),” Murray said after the budget's passage. “There will also be a replacement of a 1999 backhoe, which has experienced significant repair costs over the last few years, at a price of $110,000.”

The police and Fire-EMS are getting new communication equipment at a cost of $83,100. Most of the expense is for a mandated conversion to a new bandwidth to enable communication between emergency responders throughout the county, as well as police interview recording equipment and some other smaller capital items.

“Fire-EMS Equipment includes protective gear, a replacement of a 1989 brush truck that has experienced issues, and a $20,000 deposit on the replacement of a 2003 ambulance, which has experienced significant electrical issues,” Murray added. “The balance of the ambulance is to be funded in next year’s budget.  The Fire-EMS total capital in this year’s budget is 127,500.”

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