The Harrison Township committee met May 2 to unanimously adopt a 2022 municipal budget with a tax increase Mayor Lou Manzo implied was inevitable.
“As we have done for the last several years, we basically had no capital program – which is where we budget money to build something major – other than the required replacement of a police vehicle and paving some local streets,” he explained. “This is because revenues were down and the costs of fuel, insurance and materials were way up.
“So, we did all we could to maintain our services with as little impact (tax increase) on our residents as possible.”
The result is a 2-percent increase in the local tax rate, to 54.1 cents per $100 of assessed home value. The average home in Harrison is currently valued at $343,721, so the adopted budget will result in an annual local tax of $1,859.53, or $154.96 a month, an increase of $60.28 from last year, about $5 more a month.
In other news:
The committee appointed Anthony J. DeSimone township building inspector during the temporary absence of John Eckler. Richard Falasco was appointed as construction and building sub-code official. Julie Whilden was appointed the new deputy clerk and deputy registrar of vital statistics.
The committee passed resolutions for payment to and release of agreement with Madison Richwood Village; permission for Riehl’s Towing and Maintenance to perform medium- and heavy-duty towing services; approval of a lease with the Harbaugh House; and the awarding of a contract to IPL for 715 yard waste carts.
The Mullica Hill Rotary Club received a social affairs permit for Harrison Township Day on June 4. Sponsored by Inspira Health, the Main Street celebration will involve multiple businesses.
The next Harrison Township committee meeting will be on Monday, May 16, at 7 p.m.
