T.F. budget looks to offset state aid cut

T.F. budget looks to offset state aid cut
BY KENNY WALTER Staff Writer

TINTON FALLS — Borough officials found out last week that state aid to the borough would be cut by $44,000, but are determined not to raise taxes and to find a way to offset the decrease.

The total municipal budget proposed is $21,843,286, a 4.10 percent increase over last year's budget of $20,945,693.

Last year, the borough received $1,921,000 in municipal aid from the state. For 2009 it will receive $1,873,831.

"When you have a $21 million budget, $44,000 isn't a death sentence," Finance Director Stephen Pfeffer said. "We will look for ways to fine tune the budget so that we don't raise taxes."

The 2009 budget calls for a tax levy of $10,605,992. Pfeffer said the municipal portion of the tax rate will remain flat at $0 .353 per $100 of assessed valuation.

He said the owner of an average home in Tinton Falls valued at $343,915 will pay $1,213 in municipal taxes under the budget as proposed.

The state deadline for introducing the municipal budget is March 31 and for approval, is May 12.

That timeline isn't expected to play out for Tinton Falls though.

"The way I see it happening is that we will discuss it at the next meeting [April 7]," Pfeffer said. "Then on May 5 we will introduce the budget. Then 28 days must pass, and we will approve it in June."

There was some talk at the March 17 council meeting of holding a special meeting to comply with the state mandated deadline, but the council finally agreed on the schedule Pfeffer outlined.

"There are about 30 municipalities across the state that haven't passed their budget yet and their year ends June 30," Pfeffer said. "Our year ends Dec. 31, so that deadline doesn't pose a big problem."

Some of the increases in the budget include salaries and state pension payments. The borough changed medical insurance carriers in 2009 to stabilize that cost. The increase in the group insurance budget is approximately 2.2 percent.

"There are no crazy changes," Pfeffer said. "The surplus remains the same, miscellaneous revenues are up, state aid is down."

Pfeffer said he will meet with different departments to see where they can cut spending.

"There are different ways we can do this without cutting funding for services," Pfeffer said.

Contact Kenny Walter at

kwalter@gmnews.com