News
Amended Budget Reduces Tax Rate In Middletown
By Ryan Fennell
MIDDLETOWN - The proposed tax rate for Middletown residents and business owners was lowered slightly through an amendment to the introduced budget this week.
The Middletown Township Committee held a special meeting on Monday evening to introduce the amendment that would lower the amount to be raised through taxation for the 2010 budget from $45,549,733 to $45,349,477, a decrease in the increase of $200,256.
The amended figure represents an increase of $5,348,365 from the amount raised through taxes in 2009.
The overall budget was also reduced by $404,879 amounting to $64,574,697, an increase of approximately $3 million over last year's budget.
The overall tax rate, including county and board of education taxes, reflects a 2.8 percent increase over 2009.
A public hearing on the amendment to the budget is scheduled for Tuesday September 7.
The resolution to amend the budget passed by a 3 to 0 vote. Committeewoman Pamela Brightbill and Committeeman Sean Byrnes were not in attendance.
"I don't think any of us are happy with this budget," Committeeman Steve Massell said. "We had the perfect storm this year between retirees, brush, (and) snow removal. We were really stuck between a rock and a hard place."
"This was a very difficult environment," Deputy Mayor Anthony Fiore added. "There were a lot of one-time hits that cost us. Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident that Middletown is in this alone. (Municipalities) were hit as hard if not harder depending on the size of the town."
Fiore commended Chief Financial Officer Nick Trasente and Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante on their ability to cut Operating Expenses with 15 percent reductions across the board.
Fiore said that although there were several expenses beyond the township's control, he believes things are back on track.
"I believe we have gotten a handle on it," Fiore said.
Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger said that he has spoken with mayors throughout the state and has found that this was an especially difficult budget year for most.
"It's probably the most difficult budget year in the last 30 or 40 years," Scharfenberger said. "Everything converged at once."
Scharfenberger pointed out that the township eliminated 40 positions, which he called an extraordinary number for a township its size.
According to Scharfenberger Middletown has one of the smallest workforces per capita in the state and is one of the lowest spending per capita municipalities in the state.
"That says a lot about our efficiency over the years," Scharfenberger said. "Middletown is sort of a victim of its own efficiency over the years with not a lot to cut."
