Council presentation breaks down budget

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — At the Monday council meeting, Township Administrator Matthew Watkins displayed a powerpoint presentation on the 2017 budget and there was good news.

Watkins said for the first time in many years, the property value of Bloomfield homes is not decreasing. The graph he showed was for seven years. It was the first year that Bloomfield showed a zero decrease in property values.

“It’s a big comeback,” he said. “It’s our lifeblood. If you walk away with something from all this, walk away with that. It’s critical.”

The total budget is $80 million, just a little below the 2016 budget which was $80.2 million. Property tax on the average-assessed home of $270,700 is $16.
“It’s what we really want,” he said. “The council has made it primary, keep the taxes low.”

But he said the library is deservedly getting more money.
He pointed out that operating expenses decreased 5.92 percent. But employee benefits increased by 4.42 percent.

“Everyone hears the state pension is broken,” Watkins said. “Municipal governments pay their pensions. We’ve been fair and we pay all our employees.”
He said the township also has to make good on uncollected taxes and the budget has to allow for this. The amount increased 4.19 percent to $175,000.

“We collect it in time and charge interest,” he said.
There was a record number of capital improvement last year, Watkins said. This year, $1 million is budgeted for road work and $400,000 to make improvements to Town Hall. He said over the last weekend, rain “took out half the clerk’s office.”

A new Public Works building is anticipated in 2017 and Watkins said $1.25 million is budgeted for that. Also, $250,000 is budgeted for sewer projects. Watkins said water utility concerns have the greatest focus.

“This council has made it clear, they want water quality,” he said. “A lot has to be done with it.”

A public hearing and a final vote on the budget are scheduled for the April 24 council meeting.