Haddonfield commissioners held their second public hearing for the borough budget, however they had to table its official adoption as the state required an amendment to the water and sewer utility portion.
“We are going to table the budget and not have the final adoption this evening. Unfortunately, we have been notified that we need to make an amendment to our water and sewer budget,” Mayor Jeff Kasko said.
According to Commissioner John Moscatelli, the amendment does not change the budget. Instead, it changes how the borough accounted for the proceeds from the water and sewer sale.
“We do have a $16.2 million borough budget this year. Just as a quick summary, that is about a 5.9 percent increase in appropriations, but our surplus has been extremely healthy and we have a zero property tax increase this year. And we’re very happy about that,” Kasko said.
The proposed borough budget totals $16.2 million, of which $10.1 million will be raised through property taxes. The local purpose tax rate will remain the same at 48.7 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
The tax rate is remaining the same as last year despite a $2.2 million loss in ratables. The 2015 budget, minus grant expenditures, increases $914,204, or 5.98 percent over 2014. This is made up for with healthy revenues and surplus. The amount to be raised by taxation is decreasing by $19,386.
For the fifth year in a row, the borough is anticipating a flat rate of $981,000 in state funding.
Employee salaries, benefits and pension payments, totaling $7.8 million, make up 48 percent of the budget. This amount increased by $346,586 mainly due to cost shifting of expenses from the water and sewer utility.
The borough’s annual road program continues to play a large part in the annual capital budget, with funding of $1.4 million for road reconstruction and design. Through proceeds from the sale of the water and sewer utility, the borough will be able to liquidate most of its debt. This has enabled the borough to increase the amount of cash it is using for the road program, which will allow it to complete more roads.
There were no cuts of employees, services or programs from the budget.
“It is a wonderful budget. It’s due to the hard work of our administrator and our department heads and our chief. We’re working really hard to keep taxes as low as we possibly can,” Commissioner Neal Rochford said.
Copies of the budget are available for review at the clerk’s office and at the public library, temporarily located at 123 Kings Highway East.
The final adoption of the budget and second hearing with the amendment will be held at the commissioners meeting on June 23 at 7:30 p.m.
In others news:
• Commissioners gave a proclamation for Flag Day, which was June 14. Commissioners, other organizations and members of the community were to celebrate Flag Day in Haddonfield at Kings Court on Monday, June 15.
• Commissioners approved the Partnership for Haddonfield’s annual Sidewalk Sale on Aug. 6, 7, 8 and 9 within the commercial district of Haddonfield, and the Rotary Club of Haddonfield’s Friday Night Concerts on July 10, 17, 24 and 31.
• The borough will host an auction of 20 bicycles, one Power Wheel, one two-child bike trailer and two pink bike helmets on Saturday, June 27 at 10 a.m. at the Public Works facility, 555 Centre St. These items have been declared surplus property, and the borough is required to host a public sale of these items. A preview of the items will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Due to some changes with the regulations on affordable housing, the borough passed a resolution authorizing the filing of a Declaratory Judgment Action concerning its affordable housing program, the filing of a motion for temporary immunity and the joining of other municipalities to hire an expert to propose a sensible approach to the borough’s third round affordable housing obligation.
• The next commissioners meeting will be held on June 23 at 7:30 p.m. at Borough Hall.
