Jackson's 2009 budget totals $40.5 million
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer

JACKSON — The 2009 Jackson municipal budget was expected to have been adopted at a special meeting of the Township Council on June 30.

The budget was not adopted on June 23 because council members were waiting for amended figures. Officials said the new figures were expected to show a decrease in expenditures.

In presenting the budget during the June 23 meeting, Business Administrator Phil Del Turco said, "This year's municipal budget has been the most challenging due to the economic downturn. The 2008 economy resulted in a substantial loss of revenues which has impacted the 2009 budget."

Del Turco said that in response to the current economic conditions, Mayor Michael Reina asked all department heads to reduce their non-salary budget requests by 10 percent from last year's level. The council and the town's budget advisory committee also provided input, he said.

He said the total 2009 municipal budget requests are down $922,822 from 2008, but total taxes will increase by about $792,000 as a direct reflection of the economy.

All negotiated labor contracts have been honored with no plans for layoffs or furloughs of municipal employees.

Employees have been asked to operate more efficiently by taking on more duties to compensate for vacant positions that have not been filled, Del Turco said. They have also been asked to monitor spending more closely.

Del Turco said the amendments that prevented the budget from being adopted on the evening of June 23 will indicate a reduction.

"From the mayor's introduced budget there is a net decrease of $180,200 in appropriations," he said.

Del Turco and Chief Financial Officer Sharon Pinkava said the 2009 budget now stands at $40,575,652. That is a decrease of $922,822 from the 2008 budget. The 2009 local tax levy is expected to be $24,453,967. The 2008 local tax levy amounted to $23,661,969.

The local tax levy is the total amount that all Jackson property owners pay to help support the operation of the municipality. Each property owner pays a portion of that amount based on the assessed value of his property.

The municipal tax rate for 2009 is estimated to by 36.2 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. That will be a 1.2-cent increase from the 2008 municipal tax rate of 35 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

With a municipal tax rate of 36.2 cents, the owner of a home that is assessed at $333,000 will pay about $1,205 in municipal taxes in 2009, compared to the municipal property taxes of $1,165 that same homeowner paid in 2008. The increase is about $40.

The owner of a home that is assessed at $500,000 will pay about $1,810 in municipal taxes in 2009, compared to $1,750 in municipal taxes in 2008.

Municipal taxes are one part of a property owner's overall tax bill, which also includes Jackson school taxes, Ocean County taxes and fire district taxes.

Detailed budget information is available free of charge for public inspection at the township clerk's office, the Jackson Senior Center and the Jackson Library. For more information, call 732-928-1256.