Jackson committee adopts budget with 1-cent tax decrease
By cindy tietjen
Staff Writer

JACKSON — The Township Commit-tee unanimously adopted the 2002 municipal budget at its meeting on Monday. Under the 2002 budget, residents will see the municipal tax rate decrease by 1 cent per $100 of assessed valuation.

"The Township Committee and I are pleased to continue providing existing services to residents while cutting the tax rate for the third year in a row," Mayor Michael Broderick said.

Before the adoption of the budget, Township Administrator John J. Kennedy gave a brief presentation on the spending plan. Jackson’s 2002 municipal budget totals $29 million and represents an increase of $1.9 million from the 2001 budget.

Under the 2001 budget, the local tax levy was $12.34 million. The municipal tax rate dropped from 62.6 cents to 58.6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

In the 2002 budget, the local tax levy totals $13.5 million. The municipal tax rate will drop from 58.6 cents to 57.6 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

That means the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will pay $576 in municipal taxes in 2002, down from $586 in 2001. The owner of a home assessed at $200,000 will pay $1,152 in municipal taxes in 2002, down from $1,172 in 2001. The owner of a home assessed at $300,000 will pay $1,728 in municipal taxes in 2002, down from $1,758 in 2001.

Municipal taxes are one portion of a property tax bill. School and county taxes are additional categories that contribute to the overall property tax.

According a document prepared by Kennedy, the major sources of revenue for Jackson come from the following areas: surplus funds, local revenue, state aid, construction codes, grants, special items of revenue, delinquent taxes and property taxes.

Kennedy said officials have been able to keep decreasing the municipal tax rate through prudent management and increased ratables, among other things.

During the public hearing on the budget, in which only two residents spoke, ratables in Jackson were a focus of comment.

Kathy Muller, of Begonia Court, asked which ratables bring new revenue.

"It is no secret that new construction, both residential and commercial, brings in a lot of revenue to Jackson," Broderick said. "We are looking to decrease the amount of residential construction while still bringing in ratables from commercial projects."

Newly elected Board of Education member Daniel Gross, of Point Circle, said he was worried the tax rate would increase sharply if new construction projects were to decrease.

"It seems like the surplus in the budget relies heavily on the income from ratables," said Gross. "What happens when the building stops?"

While Broderick told Gross he had an excellent point, the mayor said municipal officials are thinking ahead in order to prevent just that from happening.

"We are always working to provide a sound budget every year, and we are taking into account that we can not rely too heavily on one area," Broderick said. "The sources of funding for the budget are very varied, and we will continue to do our best to present a fiscally sound budget every year."