Amlen on Budget

In a message to the Township, Springfield's Deputy Mayor David Amlen gives highlights of the 2011 budget. 

He emphasizes that the municipal budget is $2.7 million under property tax cap and that the property tax budget includes the RVSA fees, which were charged separately last year. 

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I’m very happy to be able to bring you an update of the work that we’ve been doing on this year’s township budget. The finance committee went back to square one and looked at every area where the town brings in revenue and spends money. We worked hard and debated even harder to make sure that we minimize the tax burden on the residents. With that goal in mind, here are the highlights of the purposed 2011 budget.

Overall, the proposed portion of the township budget raised from property taxes is $21,761,215 (this does not include the county or school’s budget). This figure represents a 4.46% increase over the 2010 budget. By comparison the township saw a 6.11% increase the year before when you figure in the sewer tax. On the subject of the Sewer tax, I’m happy to announce that there will be NO SEPARATE SEWER CHARGE in 2011. We were able to roll that charge, including the 17% increase in RVSA fees, back into your regular property taxes. This means that you can once again get a deduction for this amount.

I am also very proud of the fact that although the legal limit for our 2011 property taxes is $24,455,257, we were able to bring the budget in almost $2.7 million under the state imposed cap. In fact, most of this year’s increase was due to expenses incurred last year that we have to pay for this year including pension obligations, capital improvements, debt service and a fire union payout.

Finally, as we look towards keeping taxes in check in the future, we are vigorously pursuing shared services with neighboring towns, increased efficiencies within all our governmental departments and ways to increase non-tax revenue. Two areas that will add additional revenue in the short-term are the many grants anticipated but that cannot not be put in the budget yet and additional ratables (taxable properties) such as the development along Route 22 and Victory Road.

I’d like to thank Jerry Fernandez, Michael Quick, Anthony Cancro and everyone in the township finance department for working so hard with me to develop this budget. The Township Committee will hold a PUBLIC MEETING ON MARCH 25 TO DISCUSS THE 2011 MUNICIPAL BUDGET, which will be formally introduced on APRIL 12. Residents can get all the details on the budget and ask any question that they may have. I openly invite everyone to attend.

Township Digest

The following are a few highlights from the last Township Committee meeting:

Meeting of 3/16

Engineering

• Plans for Joanne Way work continue and work is to be completed by end of May. Street paving has been delayed by weather but will begin shortly.
• Final details on Milltown Road to be completed by April 1.
• Surplus items from the town are being sold on Gov Deals.com in order to offset taxes

DPW

The electronic waste program is becoming more popular. Electronic waste, grass clippings, brush, metal, and spring garden waste (in bio-degradable bags only) will be picked up in April.

Recreation

• Boy’s Varsity High School Basketball team went to the sectional finals
• Work has been begun at the pool including installing a handicap lift and ADA compliant bathrooms
• Work on the parks and fields are a little behind due to the weather. The township is working as hard as possible to get everything ready for the new season

Special Improvement District

Mayor Hugh Keffer invited the steering committee for Springfield’s Special Improvement District (SID) to discuss and answer questions regarding the group’s progress. The SID is a way of creating an organization made up of all local businesses that contribute to a fund used to improve the business districts along Morris Avenue, Mountain Avenue and Route 22. The ordinance enacting the SID will be introduced at the Township Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 22.