Ocean County 2017 Budget Is 'Best Budget' in Years, Freeholder Says

The 2017 Ocean County budget is up $7.9 million - roughly a two percent increase over last year, thanks to a small increase in property values and and slight decrease in the county's property tax rate, Freeholder John C. Bartlett Jr. said.

The Board of Freeholders introduced the $407,919,144 budget on Feb. 22.

“The proposed 2017 budget is up about two percent and falls within the two percent state imposed budget cap,” said Bartlett, “This budget includes the funds necessary to cover the core services for our residents while decreasing the county property tax rate. This is the best budget we’ve been able to put together in years.

Ocean County struggled with an ailing economy in 2009, then was hammered by Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29, 2012. Ocean County’s ratable base fell during those years by about $20 billion or 19 percent.

“And while the value is still down about 11 percent from a decade ago, we are seeing modest gains again,” Bartlett said.

The freeholder board will formally introduce the budget at 4 p.m. on March 1 in Room 109 of the county administration building on Hooper Avenue. The public hearing and adoption is slated for April 5.

The amount to be raised by taxation will be 35.2 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation, down about 1/10th of one cent.

Bartlett said the budget remains within the 2 percent cap even with the county faces challenges like the implementation of state mandated bail reform and addressing the ongoing drug addiction epidemic.

It includes funds for new positions in the Sheriff’s Department and Prosecutor’s Office needed to implement the state-mandated bail reform procedure that calls for a bail hearing within 48 hours of an arrest.

“We need the personnel in order to meet the state mandate which was implemented Jan. 1,” Bartlett said.

The county’s surplus in 2017 is $51.7 million. The proposed budget calls for using $20.2 million from surplus.

“In order to maintain our AAA bond rating, it’s imperative we keep a surplus balance that is equal to about 10 percent of the budget,” Bartlett said. “Having the highest bond rating possible helps us tremendously when we need to bond for capital projects. In addition a strong surplus balance is necessary in times of natural disasters and emergencies as we all saw after Superstorm Sandy.”

Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari said he provided preliminary budget information to municipal officials attending a recent Ocean County Mayor’s Association meeting.

“In addition, the rates associated with the Ocean County Library and the Health Department will be flat in 2017,” he said.

The proposed budget also includes two percent increases in the County’s contributions to Ocean County College and the Ocean County Vocational Technical School system.

The college’s appropriation will be $15.2 million, up $297,000 and the Vo-Tech will receive $18.3 million, up $358,293.

In addition, about $25 million will be appropriated to maintain the county’s infrastructure.

Image: Patch file photo.