Flat 2013 Ridgewood Municipal Budget Introduced

Despite an introduced budget that is $677,000 smaller than that of 2012, some Ridgewood residents will see a tax increase in 2013.

Beset with hundreds of thousands in tax appeal losses, the village in 2012 elected to conduct a reassessment, which lowered the average assessed home value from $787,000 to $687,000. The village still needs to recoup roughly the same amount in taxes, so the pie is more or less shifted among homeowners and businesses.

Here's the simplified version: If the reassessment reduced the value of your home by 13 percent or greater, you'll see flat taxes or a tax reduction on the municipal side. If your home lost, for example, 8 percent of value, you'll see a tax increase.

The $45.3 million 2013 budget does not call for any layoffs, though a position in engineering has been eliminated. The hiring of two new police officers and three new firemen has been budgeted for. The budget will also increase the library's budget to 2009 levels and extend hours at Graydon Pool.

Ridgewood's fund balance is pegged at $2.9 million, which officials said would be further boosted when the FEMA reimbursements are received.

Councilman Tom Riche was the lone council member to vote against introducing the budget. He's previously expressed concern that the fund balance is drawn down too low. Mayor Paul Aronsohn said the fund balance is significantly higher than was in the budget last year, a budget Riche endorsed.

The public hearing on the 2013 budget will be held June 12.