Hillsdale Council Introduces Budget Amendment

Hillsdale will likely borrow less than was originally planned for this year because of an amendment to the 2013 borough budget.

The Hillsdale Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to introduce a budget amendment which includes which were originally slated to be paid for through borrowing. They still plan to pay for two vehicles and road repaving by borrowing, likely through bond anticipation notes, officials said.

The proposed $12.56 million budget has already been approved by state officials, but borough officials could not yet vote on it because the amendment needed to be advertised first. The Council is expected to expected to hold a hearing for the amendment and vote on the budget at their next meeting on May 7.

Some residents at Tuesday's meeting asked about the reasoning behind the borrowing and whether or not the equipment purchases were necessary.

Councilman Larry Meyerson, the chair of the finance committee, said that they wanted to keep any tax increase to a minimum because of the recent revaluation, which caused about one-third of the borough's property owners to see an increase in their share of the tax levy.

As proposed in the budget, the average borough homeowner with a property assessed at $469,400 after the revaluation would see a tax increase of $57, borough auditor Paul Lerch said. If officials did not borrow for the two vehicles and repaving, that tax increase would be $133 for the average homeowner, he said. Meyerson also pointed out that taxpayers will see increases in school taxes — a combined $228 for the average homeowner — and likely county taxes, as well.

Mayor Max Arnowitz also said that the first vehicle, a new SUV for the fire chief, will be replacing a 1999 Ford Explorer. The second vehicle is a new SUV for the Police Department. Arnowitz said that officials had been "stretched out" their current vehicles and reduced the number of vehicles purchased over a period of several years for the department.

"They're a necessity," Arnowitz said.

Arnowitz also said that the borough will reduce their total debt despite the new bond anticipation notes because officials plan to pay off $385,000 this year.

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