Mahwah May 8, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 7 Council adopts municipal budget by 5-2 vote by Frank J. McMahon The Mahwah Township Council has voted 5-2 to adopt a $35,605,815 budget for 2013. The vote took place at a recent council meeting during which there was no comment from the public. On a motion by Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio that was seconded by Councilman John Roth, the budget was adopted with DiGiulio, Roth, Council President Harry Williams, and councilmen Steven Sbarra and Roy Larson voting in favor. Councilmen Charles “Chuck” Jandris and John Spiech voted against the budget’s adoption. Spiech explained his vote, saying it was based on the council’s decision to reduce the township’s surplus, the police overtime and revenue issue, and the decision of the council majority not to outsource the collection of recyclables. He pointed out that Mahwah is one of only four Bergen County municipalities that collects its own recyclables and believes the council will have to lay off many more people in the future because of that decision. The budget represents a $749,012, or 2.2 percent, increase over the township’s 2012 budget. The spending plan will increase the local tax levy for municipal purposes by $536,528, which represents a 2.7 percent increase, which is above the two percent state-imposed tax levy cap. Mahwah Township Administrator Brian Campion explained that the local tax levy exceeds the two-percent cap because there are cost increases in the tax levy that are allowed to be excluded from the tax levy cap. As examples, Campion pointed out the $270,000 increase for health insurance and the $135,000 increase in an allowable debt service cost. This budget represents a $44,288 net reduction of the $35,650,103 budget Mayor William Laforet presented to the council on Jan. 24. That budget was expected to raise the township’s tax rate by 1.7 cents, or 4.89 percent, from 34.8 cents to 36.5 cents. The adopted budget, however, will result in a municipal tax rate of 36 cents, which will be 1.2 cents, or 3.5 percent, higher than the previous tax rate. That tax rate increase will cost the owner of a home assessed at $470,000, which is the average assessed value in the township, an additional $56 Mahwah Recreation will host its 24th Annual Fishing Contest on Saturday, May 25. The event will be held at 10 a.m. at Silver Creek Pond, located at the intersection of Airmont Avenue and Airmount Road. This catch and release Annual Fishing Contest set for May 25 contest is open to Mahwah residents ages five through 13. Proof of residency is required at registration. Prizes will be awarded. The event will take place rain or shine. this year for the municipal portion of that property owner’s total property tax. In addition to the municipal property tax, homeowners must also pay the Bergen County tax, the local school district tax, the county and municipal open space taxes, and the library tax, all of which make up the township’s total tax rate. That total rate is currently is $1.624 per $100 of assessed value. According to Campion, one of the major causes of the tax rate increase is the decrease in the net valuation of the overall township, which is used to calculate the township’s tax rate. The current net valuation of the township is $5,663,744,555, which is down $37,867,222 from last year. The newly-approved budget includes a wage freeze on all township employees, even though there is an increase of $330,900 in the amount appropriated in the budget for salaries and wages. The increase in the salaries and wage line of the budget, according to Campion, is the contractual 2.5 salary increase granted last year to the township’s union employees, which became effective on July 1. Last year’s budget, therefore, only contained a half-year of that salary increase. This year’s budget includes the full year’s expense, even though no employees will see any further increase in their salary this year.