Politics & Government

Township Operating Budget to be Presented Tuesday

Residents will learn about potential tax hikes on the municipal level

Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis will present his administration's annual operating budget to the township council Tuesday night.

The details of the spending plan have yet to be announced, but it is expected that the proposal will be at or near the state-mandated 2 percent cap on expenditures required under a series of reform laws passed last year. To bring the township budget within the cap, the township will have to , according to documents filed with the state Civil Service Commission.

"After an extensive analysis of the financial status of the Township it has been determined that it is necessary for the Township to reduce costs," wrote Deputy Business Administrator Juan Bellu in the letter to the commission. "This is due to additional constraints placed upon the Township due to the recently passed 2% tax levy cap, and declining revenues in all areas over the past 2 years. This will result in the elimination of certain functions and titles within the organization."

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The layoffs would result in the elimination of 29 police officers, as well as trash and recycling pickup, among other service reductions.

Acropolis has said a ballot question asking taxpayers to allow the township to exceed the cap will most likely be placed alongside the school tax levy ballot question April 27, though the council has yet to decide whether to do so. There is no mention of a potential ballot question on the agenda for the March 15 council meeting.

Find out what's happening in Brickwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Acropolis said there would be no layoffs if a potential ballot exception measure were to pass. Though the questions may appear on the same ballot, the school district and municipal budgets remain separate spending plans developed by two separate governmental bodies. A exception to the municipal cap would require a vote of "50 plus one," or a simple majority, to pass.

The municipal budget presentation is set to take place at a township council meeting scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. Brick Patch will be at the meeting and will offer coverage of all facets of the budget process throughout the week, in the wake of the presentation.

Additionally, the Board of Education will hold one of its several public forums on the school budget Tuesday night. The forum will be held at 7 p.m. at the Brick Memorial High School auditorium.


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