Commissioners director: 2025 budget may be our best ever
SEA ISLE CITY — “Welcome to the capital of Cape May County: Sea Isle City,” Len Desiderio told the Chamber of Commerce on March 20 as he prepared to deliver his annual State of the County address.
While the director of the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners and mayor of Sea Isle likes to joke, his address was serious but delivered with a smile.
“I am happy to report that the 2025 budget may be our best ever,” Desiderio told those gathered.
The Cape May County Chamber of Commerce held its membership meeting, sponsored by Triad Associates, and invited Desiderio to speak.
He was joined by other members of the Board of County Commissioners, such as Vice Director Andrew Bulakowski and Bob Barr, as well as state Sen. Mike Testa and members of county government.
Chamber Immediate Past Chairwoman Amy Mahon of Reich Asset Management served as emcee, while Michael Zumpino, CEO of Triad Associates, introduced the speaker.
Desiderio discussed the county budget, which for the third year in a row called for a lower tax rate, the state of roadwork and bridge projects and the potential for a new justice facility.
“As a Board of County Commissioners, the most important aspect of our governance is making sure that we spend the taxpayers’ money wisely and with due diligence for every dollar spent,” he said.
Desiderio explained that the budget begins with a zero base and every function within a department is analyzed for its needs and costs. The budgets are then built around what’s needed for the upcoming year regardless of whether each budget is higher or lower than the previous year.
“This practice keeps all of us on our toes and holds everyone accountable, and we thank the department heads and their staff for a job well done,” Desiderio said.
The $224 million spending plan for fiscal year 2025 reduced the tax rate from 18.8 cents per $100 of assessed value to 16.9 cents, a decrease of $190 on each $100,000. The rate has fallen steadily since 2021, when it was 23.4 cents.
Desiderio said the reduction amounts to a decrease in the tax levy of $671,000.
“That is not a misstatement. With this budget, we will be taking well over half a million dollars less from our taxpayers in 2025,” he said.
Referencing the National Football League’s championship game Feb. 9, when the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, he said, “We all saw the Eagles prevent the Chiefs from attaining the three-peat, but the county of Cape May is achieving the three-peat with back-to-back-to-back tax rate decreases.”
“There is likely not a county in the state of New Jersey that is as financially strong as Cape May County,” Desiderio said, adding that the last time the county had a tax levy decrease was in 1993.
He said the board is pleased to provide financial relief to taxpayers during an economy when the cost of food, energy, fuel and other basic necessities have skyrocketed.
Desiderio also discussed upcoming infrastructure projects.
“We continue to pave roads, fix drainage, improve our parks and zoo, expand active and passive recreation, provide services for the elderly and less fortunate, and build bridges,” he said.
Improvements slated for this year, with a price tag topping $100 million dedicated, include the 96th Street bridge upgrades/repairs; studies for replacement of Grassy Sound, Great Channel, Townsends Inlet and Corsons Inlet bridges; Marshallville Road bridge replacement; Hand Avenue bridge replacement; Mill Creek and Upper Thorofare railing and pedestrian access bridge improvements and Grassy Sound superstructure rehabilitation.
He said the county also has an aggressive schedule of road construction projects, including 13 miles of countywide maintenance paving.
“Our budget will fund a total of $35.6 million for 26 miles of roadway slated for 2025,” he said.
Desiderio also noted the board would consider approving a $22 million contract for construction of a justice complex for the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and public safety training academy.
The director said despite skyrocketing tax ratables, creating the budget is still a difficult process and that the board could raise taxes every year if it wanted to do so.
“There are those who want to minimize the efforts of the county commissioners and talk about how much ratables have gone up and how that has made budgeting easier. There is some truth to that, but it is still up to the elected officials to set the tax rate,” he said. “We did not have to reduce the tax rate. In fact, we have the authority to raise the tax rate.”
Desiderio said if the county had left the tax rate flat in 2023, 2024 and again in 2025, taxpayers would have paid an additional $64 million.
“We didn’t have to make these decisions to lower the tax rate. We could have patted each other on the back about not raising taxes. We could have had an extra $64 million to put toward pet projects or spend in some other way,” he said.
Desiderio also looked ahead, saying the Cape May County Airport is “the next frontier” for the board with its potential for commercial development, facilities improvements and “substantial” year-round residential housing.
“Through careful planning and strategic investments in our facilities and infrastructure, we will continue to ensure the sustainability of our county’s finances in 2025 and future years to come,” he said.
– STORY and PHOTO by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
