No Tax Increase Expected In 2023 Morris County Budget, Official Says

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Morris County's budget will not include a tax increase for the fourth year in a row, officials announced Wednesday.

Although the cost of living is rising, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners recently introduced the 2023 budget, which totals $343.5 million, a $12.4 million increase from 2022.

"Without an increase in the tax rate, which is extremely important in these tough economic times, we are still delivering the same level of public services and even increasing funding in some key areas," said Commissioner Deborah Smith, Chair of the Commissioners’ Budget Committee.

The commissioners will consider adopting the final budget for 2023 at their meeting, scheduled for Mar. 22.

The Budget Committee's proposed $343.5 million spending plan for 2023, which was presented to the entire board on Wednesday, prioritizes investments in public safety, infrastructure, human services, education and training and economic development.

The budget includes the following items:

• $8.9 million to support the Morris County Park Commission, stewards of the largest county park system in New Jersey (20,455 acres of parkland)
• More than $12 million to support the County College of Morris, an increase over 2022
• Almost $6.3 million to the Morris County Vocational School District, also an increase over 2022
• More than $800,000 for Economic Development and Tourism

The 2023 budget also allocates $74.6 million to public safety, which includes, among other things, full dispatch services to 23 municipalities and continuing daily backup services to local Basic Life Support and Emergency Medical Service units for all 39 Morris County towns.

In 2022, the Morris County Basic Life Support Emergency Medical Service Unit responded to 3,866 emergency calls, officials said.

"Public safety is paramount in this day and age, and this budget focuses heavily on Morris County’s efforts to support and augment local emergency services and to fully fund our Sheriff and Prosecutor," said Commissioner Director John Krickus.

Morris County's planning for this year's budget also included the use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for county investments.

The funding was used specifically to cover select capital expenses previously planned for 2023, 2024, and 2025, reducing the county's future borrowing needs for necessary projects.

According to Commissioner Stephen Shaw, the Preservation Trust Fund Tax, which has been protecting and improving Morris County for more than 30 years, will remain at 5/8 cent per $100 of total county equalized property valuation in 2023.

"The tax pays not only for improvements to our county parks, but also for outstanding grant programs like Farmland Preservation, Open Space Preservation, Historic Preservation, Flood Mitigation, and Trail Design and Construction," Shaw said.

This year, the proposed budget allocates approximately $25.5 million toward improving road resurfacing, improving intersections along the county's 287 miles of roadways, and replacing bridges and culverts.

Grants totaling nearly $8 million will be used to offset county expenses.

Road resurfacing projects include:

• 3.3 miles of Mendham Road (CR 510) from Indian Head Road to Cold Hill Road in both Mendham and Morris Townships
• 2.2 miles of Main Road (US 202) from Fulton Street to Route 287 Northbound Ramps in Montville Township
• 4.1 miles of Ridgedale Avenue (CR 632) from Littell Road (Route 10) to Route 280 in both Parsippany and East Hanover Townships
• 3.8 miles of Tempe Wick Road/Glen Alpin Road (CR 646) from Leddell Road to Blue Mill Road in both Mendham and Harding Townships
• 1.8 miles of Newark Pompton Turnpike (CR 660) from Jacksonville Road to Route 23 in Pequannock Township