NORTHFIELD — City Council adopted the $14,469,884 municipal budget April 26 that includes an increase of more than $1 million in spending but no change to the municipal tax rate.
The city will use American Recovery Plan Act/Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery funding to undertake multiple capital improvement projects with long-lasting value as well as bring new life to Birch Grove Park.
CFO Dawn Stollenwerk has said the money could not be used to reduce the tax rate, instead targeted to community improvements.
“We went forward with one-time projects that won’t be costly to the city,” City Council President Polistina said.
The tax levy is down slightly from last year, by $23,450 to $8,394,827. The municipal tax rate will remain at 96.8 cents per $100 of assessed value, or $968/$100,000.
The city continues to see its property values fall, this year dropping about $2 million even with $3 million in added assessments in 2021.
Last year, the city’s total assessed value, now $867,036,960, dropped more than $2.6 million even with $3.2 million added, mostly from the Cresson Hill apartment complex. Construction continues there and the city will see added assessment again in 2022. Whether they will be offset by losses or finally result in gains remains to be seen.
The surplus account increased to $3.407 million, the most the city has had since 2014 and second most since at least 1999. The city will budget $2.239 million, or 65.72 percent, leaving a balance of $1.168 million, nearly $1 million more than 2021.
Planned improvements include an HVAC system for City Hall ($20,000) and roof for the entire municipal building ($225,000), down payment on a ladder truck ($60,000) and entry doors for the Fire Department ($50,000), as well as rehabilitation of its ready room ($16,500) and pagers for its personnel ($21,000).
Other spending for City Hall includes cybersecurity upgrades ($95,000) and digital document scanning ($100,000), as well as a vehicle for code enforcement ($40,000).
Projects planned at Birch Grove Park include a new playground ($135,590), bandstand seating ($13,500) and a memorial pavilion and picnic area ($48,000).
The city budget makes up only about 30 percent of a tax bill, with the local and regional school budgets making up just more than 50 percent and the county budget another 20 percent.
The Northfield Board of Education adopted its budget April 25. That spending plan calls for raising $10,404,413 in taxes and a rate increase of 1.2 cents to $1.25/$100.
Mainland Regional High School was expected to adopt its $30,942,090 budget May 2. Northfield property owners’ tax rate will increase .9 cents to 73.1 cents.
However, Atlantic County’s $236.8 million budget calls for a 1.5-cent decrease, bringing the total expected tax increase for a homeowner to .6 cents, or $60/$100,000. That translates into a total tax increase of about $150 on a home assessed at $250,000.
By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
