Mayor's Report: June 2024
Middlesex Residents,
Our budget process is now complete, and the 2024 Municipal Budget has been approved by the Council. It required a detailed review and was a time-consuming, arduous process but I feel we have put together an appropriate plan to achieve the balance between wants and needs and what the Borough can afford.
We were challenged with cost items that were out of our control, including Middlesex County and Piscataway Sewer Increases totaling $215,000. Insurance increases (liability, health & workers compensation) totaling $165,000 as well as critical cost increases for gas, utilities, and our consumable supplies. When coupled with the aforementioned increases, we started the budget process in a hole approaching $600,000. Our state aid was disappointingly flat.
Our line-by-line review of the budget enabled us to successfully invest and fund the return to a fully-staffed Police Department. This upcoming school year, Middlesex will reinstate for the first time in several years, a School Resource Officer. We will also add a driver to the senior program. The Environmental Commission has been reestablished. Early this fall we anticipate replacing the bathrooms at Mountain View Park and upgrading the Grove area with most of this cost covered by grants. Middlesex will add $108,000 to the surplus with the current balance now of $1.6 million dollars. Most important, there are no cuts or reductions to any of our current services.
The average increase for the Municipal portion of the tax bill is just under $200 for the year or approximately $4 a week. We would have preferred less but any cuts at this point would result in a loss of services or put us in a poor position financially. It’s simply not a smart way to go.
Kudos to all involved for coming up with a good plan. They are not easy conversations when you are holding the red pen and getting down to our real needs.
At this point I have no idea where Middlesex County is going to come in with their tax increase.
As for the school system, which makes up the lion’s share of local taxes and received a healthy 2.5 million dollar increase in state aid, it still had a 4% increase in their tax levy. Many people have been critical of this, myself included. After a closer review and a look at the facts, I feel we need to give the new administration a bit of time to work their plan. As a district, our results need to improve in relation to our peers. This is why we have a new administration, and they need some time and resources to work their plan. Positive results will be the proof in the pudding.
That’s all for now. We have a lot to do, time is at a premium as we continue to work to do what is right for Middlesex Borough.
Please come to the Council meetings. It’s the best way to keep current on things.
Enjoy the summer.
Jack Mikolajczyk