Published on April 02, 2015

Mayor Janice S. Mironov announced that the 2015 Municipal Budget adopted on April 21 contains NO TAX INCREASE, for the second year in a row.

The municipal component of the local property tax bill thus remains the same for 2015, 2014 and 2013 at $0.431 (43.1 cents) per $100 of assessed valuation. This means that for the 2015 average residence assessment of $258,351, the 2015 municipal tax is $1115.

Mayor Mironov stated, “The East Windsor municipal component of the total local property tax bill remains at less than 15%. The East Windsor municipal tax component is among the lowest amounts in the entire region and well below the statewide average. And yet we continue to deliver a very high quality level of services to our residents.”

The 2015 municipal tax levy of $11,865,312 is below the 2014 tax levy of $11,892,414, and is well below the available state cap levy amounts. If the Township used available cap allowances, the municipal tax rate could be (but is NOT being) increased by almost 6 cents more.

Mayor Mironov stated, “This is a fiscally conservative and responsible budget document which well serves our community. It retains all existing services and service levels and contains no employee reductions. In these challenging economic times, East Windsor has worked hard to keep our spending levels tight, seek further savings, and identify additional revenue sources. This positive no tax increase municipal budget results from the Township’s commitment to continually seek out additional efficiencies, cooperative purchasing avenues and service sharing opportunities, a low debt level, and pro-active efforts to carefully plan and to closely monitor expenditures and revenues throughout the year.

Mayor Mironov added, “East Windsor has experienced very positive business growth and anticipates further robust business activity through 2015. We already have transitioned 2014 to 2015 with such significant business announcements as the opening of Smashburger, Kay Jewelers, Patel Brothers Grocery in the former Genuardi’s, Aldi to reopen the Bottom Dollar store, as well as very major commercial projects as Aurobindo and a further Shiseido America expansion.”

Even with all of the spending challenges of increased group medical insurance costs, pension costs, as well as snow and storm related expenses including overtime, salt and supplies, gasoline, vehicle repairs, as well as salary and wage increases, the 2015 municipal budget of $21,302,983 reflects an increase of only $318,039 or 1.5 percent increase over the 2014 municipal budget of $20,984,944. Municipal budget expenditures are $1,287,251 under available State appropriation cap allowances.

Mayor Mironov noted that, “At the same time, the State of New Jersey continues to unjustly divert millions and millions of municipal dollars which belong to towns for property tax relief. For East Windsor, these annual State diverted funds amount to about 11 cents on the municipal tax rate or 25% of the total municipal tax. This State practice of withholding these property tax relief funds from our taxpayers needs to end.”