By ROBERT LINNEHAN | The Haddonfield Sun
The adoption of the 2009 budget was finally realized. Borough commissioners made one final amendment and passed the document unanimously at their meeting last week.
In late June, the commissioners introduced the amendment to the budget. Borough Administrator Sharon McCullough said the amendment was needed because the state released its state aid figures and the borough again was given a decrease in its state aid, McCullough said.
The borough will receive $1,256,918 in state aid for 2009, $42,000 less in aid than it did in 2008.
In 2008, the borough received $160,000 less in state aid than it did in 2007.
The commissioners were able to find an offset for the decrease in aid, she said, so the tax rate will not increase.
Additionally, the borough received five grants, she said, which were also inserted into the 2009 budget.
Newest Commissioner Jeff Kasko said he was voting in favor of the budget despite the document being crafted before he was elected. Without the document, the borough could not move forward with its business, he said.
“Sure, I have some questions and some concerns, but I support the budget,” he said.
Kasko told the audience he would be prominently involved in the creation of the 2010 budget.
A zero-percent tax raise is always the goal for a municipality when its crafting its budget, he said, but sometimes it’s just not possible.
He also said the public would be tapped for more input into the 2010 budget.
See this week’s print edition of The Sun for the full story.
