Aid, cuts trim Ewing tax hikes

Projected increase falls from 43 cents to 18 cents

Thursday, December 13, 2007
BY LISA CORYELL

EWING -- The 43-cent tax rate increase looming over residents' heads all summer is expected to be whittled down to 18 cents through a combination of state aid
and budget cuts, township officials announced yesterday.

Ewing learned this week it will receive $2 million in special aid for property tax relief which, coupled with about $1 million in budget cuts, will sharply curtail this
year's tax hike.

Instead of a $547 tax increase, the owner of a house assessed at the township average of $127,100 would pay $229 more this year.

"I know it's not totally palatable but it's a whole lot more palatable than a 43 cent increase," said Mayor Jack Ball.

Since introducing its $45.6 million budget in August, township administrators have been lobbying the state for $4 million in distressed cities aid to help close a
budget gap. The state has steadfastly refused the request, saying Ewing made the request too late.

Yesterday, the state did come through with money from another source -- it's extraordinary aid fund.

While the $2 million is half of what the township wanted, it was the largest sum bestowed on any municipality this year.

"Obviously our need has been recognized by the state," said Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, who helped lobby for the money. "While we didn't get all
we feel we need, or want, we certainly did get the lion's share of what the state had to give."

Of the $16.3 million doled out to 29 municipalities, the second largest amount, $1.3 million, went to Bayonne.

Hamilton Township, which could see a 20 cents hike in tax rates, did not receive any money because officials there did not apply for the extraordinary aid.

The $2 million will cut the proposed tax increase in Ewing to about 22 cents per $100 of assessed value. In an effort to further whittle the tax hit to 18 cents, the
Ewing council has earmarked approximately $1 million in cuts to the proposed spending plan. The largest single cut of $480,000 was realized by eliminating new
positions proposed in the budget -- including several police officers.

Cuts were also made in the utility account in anticipation of savings through solar energy and cuts in the information technology systems upgrade budget, officials
said.

The township was also able to help balance its budget by beefing up its anticipated revenues through a one-time infusion of nearly $1 million, realized when the
Opus office park property was moved from farmland assessment to commercial assessment.

With the cuts and new revenues the proposed spending plan now stands at $44.5 million.

The council is expected to discuss the budget at its meeting next week.

"I'm pleased we are able to reopen our budget review and have the public examine the budget we tentatively put together," said Council President Les Summiel.

Council members and administrators thanked Watson Coleman, D-Ewing, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Princeton Borough, and state Sen. Shirley Turner, D-
Lawrence, for their help in obtaining the much-needed state aid.

"This was an extraordinary effort and here we are and it's a better day in Ewing," Watson Coleman said.