$20 Tax Increase For Average Morris County Homeowner Under New Budget

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Due to expanding healthcare costs for public employees, the Morris County Freeholders introduced a budget that, for the first time in four years, will increase taxes on residents.

The budget comes in at $337 million and includes a 2.39-percent tax levy increase. Despite state law only allowing for a 2-percent increase max, healthcare costs are not required to be held within that cap. For Morris County, healthcare costs rose 18.9-percent in 2016, or $6.35 million, the county said.

The total increase annual for a home assessed at $373,000 – the county average – is about $20.

The county is also putting forth $25.9 million for infrastructure needs, including $7.6 million for road improvements; $3.3 million for bridge reconstruction projects; and another $3.5 million for intersection upgrades.

The county oversees departments like the Sheriff’s Office, Morris County Correctional Facility, Department of Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Health and Human Services, among others.

The line-by-line proposed budget is embedded below, as well as the Freeholders’ budget presentation.

The Freeholders will vote to approve the budget at its April 27 meeting.