You have recently received the estimated tax bill for the first two quarters, which includes a municipal increase of $458 per household.
In February of this year, I shared with you, the last time I was Mayor in 2020, we faced the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a profound impact on all of us personally and professionally. Even as we emerge from the pandemic, its consequences continue to affect us on a national level, including the rising costs of gas and construction materials. Within our state and municipality, we are also grappling with increasing costs of services that we have no control over.
Over the past year, we have seen significant increases in various costs. Garbage and Disposal costs rose by 34%, Library costs increased by 30%, Recycling Collection Fees and Medical Insurance costs went up by 21%, and Workers Compensation Insurance costs increased by 20%. These cost increases extend beyond our municipality, impacting Union County and New Jersey as a whole.
To address these challenges, we have been working diligently to maximize cost-saving efforts. This includes reviewing existing shared services agreements with other public entities and exploring potential new ones. We are also shifting service entities to control costs and actively seeking grants and other external funding sources. Despite these efforts, we still face a significant hurdle in keeping taxes in check while maintaining the same level and quality of services for our residents, businesses, and visitors.
In April, I shared with you that we have implemented several measures to alleviate the financial burden. We plan to relocate our emergency dispatch services to Union County Dispatch, resulting in savings of over $350,000. Additionally, we are entering into a shared service agreement with Rahway for our Health services, saving an additional $250,000. Other cost-saving measures include reducing Bulk Pickup from four times a year to twice a year, saving $50,000, utilizing the pool parking lot as a station for school buses during the off-season, generating approximately $150,000 in revenue, and securing various first responder grants totaling $125,000. While these efforts have made significant progress, we still face the ongoing challenge of balancing taxes and maintaining the quality of services and programs we provide to our community.
I value open communication with Township residents and have made sincere efforts to ensure transparency regarding the potential for an increase. I began providing updates to residents shortly after the new year, specifically in February and April. These updates were shared through various channels such as our township website, the Patriot newsletter, Facebook, email, Township meetings, and public hearings. We remain committed to finding solutions and will continue to work tirelessly to address these issues.
Mayor Christopher Capodice
06/20/2023