Bedminster prepares ‘lean budget’with no tax increase

Bedminster’s property tax rate stays the same under the proposed $2,021,493 budget for next year.

“It’s a lean budget for 2013, but supports existing staff and operations,” Jack Terry, township manager, said at a special meeting of the Bedminster Township Board of Supervisors held the morning of Nov. 30 to unveil the budget.

The proposed budget does not add any township workers, he said, EuW D SROiFH RIfiFHr wKR OHIW WKH dHpartment this year will be replaced the beginning of 2013.

3ROiFH RIfiFHrs in BHdPinsWHr will get a 3.4 percent pay hike next year under the terms of their contract, he said. Other township employees will get a 2 percent raise.

Salaries and wages of township employees make up almost half the proposed budget, coming in at a to- tal of $998,045.

Expenses by category include $T14,463 for police, $183,63T for planning and zoning, $213,804 for public works, highways and roads and $411,321 for insurance and HPSORyHH EHnHfiWs.

7KH FRsW RI KHDOWK FDrH EHnHfiWs for employees increases by T.5 percent next year.

“At least it wasn’t double digits as it was in previous years,” Terry said.

The budget does not include any building projects or vehicle replacements. Reserves could be used if a decision is made to add police department space, Terry said.

The budget includes enough open space money to buy the development rights to a 130-acre property at $6,000 per acre, Terry said.

$ finDO YRWH Rn WKH EudJHW is scheduled for the board’s year-end meeting 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28.

“We’ll be tweaking it during December,” Terry said.

At the existing rate of T.5 mills, the township property tax bill for a home assessed at $35,000 equals $262.50. Each mill equals $1 of tax for each $1,000 of assessed property value.

The T.5 mill rate includes 4 mills for the general fund, 2.5 mills for RSHn sSDFH Dnd 1 PiOO IRr WKH firH tax.