Manalapan 2013 Tax Rate to Increase Half a Cent

Manalapan Township residents can expect a minimal municipal tax rate increase of 0.5 cents, a 1.59 percent tax increase from last year, Township Administrator Tara Lovrich explained at the Township Committee meeting Wednesday night.

The municipal tax rate represents 17 percent of every dollar Manalapan collects. The 0.5 cent rate increase translates to 34.4 cents for every $100 assessed valuation. The average Manalapan home is assessed at $379,421 for which this increase would mean paying an additional $1.71 in taxes per month or $20.51 more per year.

Nevertheless, the amount to be raised through taxation is $332,336 below the maximum allowable levy cap, Lovrich said. The entire 2013 operating budget is $30,914,343.50, which is $781,891 less than the budget adopted in 2008. The Township worked long hours to cut approximately one million dollars from the requested budget in order to minimize the tax increase, Lovrich said.

Spending in this budget increased by 0.56 percent from 2012, however.

All Manalapan Township’s essential services will remain in this budget, including: law enforcement, snow removal, and leaf and brush collection. Additionally, all of the senior citizen programs, recreational programs, health and human services, building inspections, and garbage and recycling collection are included in this budget.

Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen thanked Lovrich, Chief Financial Officer Patricia Addario and the Township Committee members for working on and presenting “a good budget”.

The Township Committee unanimously adopted the resolution introducing the budget. The public hearing on the budget is scheduled for the next Township Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 14 at 8 p.m. at the Manalapan Township Municipal Building.