School Board Approves $194 Million Budget With Slight Tax Increase
The Board of Education on April 25 approved its $194.1 million FY 2025 general fund budget, which carries a small school portion tax increase. The newly minted budget is roughly $7 million more than the district’s FY 2024 spending plan. School budgets take effect on July 1, so their impact is felt in the last […]
Water Rate Hike, New Meter Fee, Introduced By Township Council
Water rates would increase nearly 17 percent under an ordinance amendment introduced at the Township Council’s April 23 meeting. The Township would also charge a water meter fee ranging from $4 to $257.25 per quarter, depending on the size of the meter. The hike, if approved, would be the second increase in two years. The […]
2024 Township Budget Carries Tax Increase
Skyrocketing mandated costs are behind a small municipal portion tax increase included in the Township Council’s 2024 budget. Final numbers weren’t available at the April 9 Township Council meeting when the budget was introduced, but the bottom line is the owner of a home valued at $477,100 – the township average – will see an […]
School District 2024-25 Budget Expected To Have Small Tax Increase
A steep cut in state aid and a multi-million dollar increase in charter school tuition presented stiff challenges, but school district officials said the proposed 2024-25 budget should only result in a minor increase in the school portion of township property tax bills. Schools Superintendent John Ravally said the tax rate should be what he […]
Township Council Budget Hearing Reveals Possible Water Rate Hike
A hike in township water utility rates may be in the offing. If it comes to pass, the rate hike would be the second such increase in two years. A discussion about the water utility budget during the March 19 Township Council budget hearing revealed the same problem facing the Council in 2023: current revenue […]
Mayor: We’re Going To Be Raising Taxes This Year
Township property owners can expect a tax increase this year that’s larger than hikes in the past several years, Mayor Phil Kramer said during the Township Council’s March 11 budget virtual hearing. One of the bigger factors in the increase is the looming $2.5 million increase in the cost of employee health insurance costs, he […]
School District’s State Aid Cut For FY 2025
School district officials are looking into ways to compensate for the approximately 2 percent cut in state aid for Fiscal Year 2025. The district will receive $21,119,162 in state K-12 aid, a reduction of $386,982 from last year’s figure. A district spokeswoman said the amount cut represents about 6 percent of the equalization aid given […]
Fire District 2 Receives $75K Firefighter Grant
The three volunteer fire departments that comprise Fire District 2 will benefit from a $75,000 grant the District received through a federal program. The District was one of 353 firefighting organizations that received $20 million under the American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant program. The departments under the Fire District 2 umbrella are Franklin Park, Griggstown […]
First Step Taken By BOE To Use Middlebush School As Pre-School Center
The Board of Education on February 22 took the first step in reclaiming the former Middlebush School building as a school. The Board agreed to give district administrators the authority to negotiate a lease with the Township that could lead to using the former school building as a pre-school center for 3- and 4-year olds. […]
AFSCME Contract Approved By Township Council
The Township Council on January 23 approved a contract with senior department heads that will extend through the end of 2025. The contract, with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, covers senior department heads and is retroactive to January 1, 2021. Township Manager Robert Vornlocker said that negotiations on a new contract […]
