Mantua Township’s oroposed 2024 municipal budget avoids a property tax increase, Mayor Robert Zimmerman announced at a May 13 committee meeting.
The budget was first introduced through a township resolution. According to Zimmerman, it marks the third time in four years that a tax hike was avoided, after zero increases in 2021 and 2022.
” … Our 2021, 2022 and now our 2024 local budgets have all been without tax increases, and last year’s budget included a very minimal increase to just be able to pay our bills,” the mayor explained.
Zimmerman attributed the zero increases to shared-service agreements between Mantua and neighboring communities that helped reduce costs.
“I assure you that the township committee and I demand responsible government,” he noted. “As an example, we have a regional court system in Mantua which is currently a statewide model of excellence that includes seven municipalities. We took over policing services for Wenonah and have a shared-service agreement for custodial services with the Mantua schools.
“We have several other shared-service agreements with neighboring communities through public works, code enforcement, construction and our finance office, etc.,” the mayor added. “These are all proactive ways that we’ve reduced government costs and generated steady revenue streams to help offset our local tax burden.”
Zimmerman acknowledged that he and committee members kept the nation’s high inflationary costs in mind while crafting the municipal budget.
“Please understand that we, as a township committee, have all been longtime Mantua tax-paying residents, and we are very cognizant of the current national economy and cost of living,” he pointed out. “We can only control what we can control here at the local level, and that’s the 20% of our property tax bill that accounts for Mantua taxes only.”
Some of the budget’s details were not discussed at the meeting but will be revealed at a public hearing for the financial plan during the committee’s meeting on Monday, June 10, at 6 p.m. A final vote on the budget is expected at that session.
“You are all welcome and encouraged to attend,” said Zimmerman. “We have continually tightened the belt on spending. We’ve been innovative and service oriented and have kept your local taxes in check for many years.”
