Long Valley Officials Turn Focus Toward 2023 Municipal Budget

LONG VALLEY, NJ — The 2023 budget season is officially underway in Washington Township.

A special township committee meeting has been added to the calendar, and one of the topics of discussion, according to officials, will be the upcoming year's budget.

Budget discussions can typically last several months, with a final version of the budget being approved in late spring. Last year, the final budget was approved in April and came to a grand total of $20.5 million.

Last year's budget represented a $1,093,826.86 increase over the 2021 budget of $19,459,424.20., coming in at $20,553,251.06.

Municipal tax revenue increased by 1.9 percent, with increased grant revenue accounting for nearly $600,000 of the one million dollar budget increase. For a $439,230 average-assessed home, the average increase in municipal taxes for the year was about $48.

Mayor Matt Murello stated his intention to keep municipal taxes low for all residents during the upcoming budget season during the annual reorganization meeting.

"The Committee hears the residents on property taxes and remains committed to fiscally conservative budgeting. We strive to continue to deliver the services and equipment needed in our town, with minimal tax impact to the residents," Murello said.

The Washington Township School District will also be proposing a referendum, which will be held this March and will allow the community to decide whether an investment in the district's school infrastructure is necessary.

A referendum was first approved with a resolution at the school board meeting on Dec. 13. However, because they don't know the parameters of state funding, the board did not specify the projects or the costs involved.

The first budget discussions are expected to begin next week, with a special township committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26, to view the full agenda, click here.