Public Hearing On Berkeley Township Municipal Budget Slated For Monday Night

Chances are, there won't be any objectors at the public hearing on the Berkeley Township municipal budget on Monday night.

There is no tax increase in the 2017 municipal budget. So it should be a short hearing.

The public hearing will begin at 6 p.m. in Town Hall at 627 Pinewald-Keswick Road.

The tax bill for a home assessed at the township average of $199,500 will pay $1,237 for each $100 of assessed valuation to support the $45,272,831 budget. The budget is actually down $986,554 since 2016, Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. said.

The municipal purposes tax rate will remain the same as last year - 61.8 cents for each $100 of assessed valuation.

This will be the last year the township will have to make a $1.2 million payment for the special appropriation in emergency funds Berkeley received to help with Superstorm Sandy damage.

Amato, Township Administrator John Camera and Treasurer Frederick Ebenau started budget preparations this year with two goals - to keep as few as possible "dedicated quality employees" and to develop more township-wide activities.

"In another words, we are providing something for everyone," Amato has said.

Township ratables are still down $47 million since last year, in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

Thanks to a very mild winter, township officials were able to trim $350,000 from the snow removal budget, leaving a cushion of $150,000, the mayor said.

Image: Berkeley Township