The average home in Rahway, assessed at $133,000, is expected to see an increase of about $195 in the municipal portion of tax bills, under a city budget adopted last month.
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The $66-million municipal budget was introduced by a vote of 6-0 of City Council during a July 3 special meeting that lasted about four minutes, with no comments or questions from council members. Three members were absent: Council members At-Large Jeff Brooks, Al Parker of the 1st Ward, and Vannie Parson of the 3rd Ward.
A public hearing and final adoption of the spending plan took place during the governing body’s Aug. 12 meeting, where it was also adopted by a 6-0 vote (Brooks, Parson, and Danni Newbury of the 5th Ward were absent). The only question from council members or the public during the hearing came from Oak Street resident Lisa Vandever who questioned increases in expenses of certain departments, including engineering, legal, and economic development.
The budget includes a tax levy — the amount to be raised through local property taxes — of $42,390,396. The entire 2024 municipal budget is available here.
The mayor’s office last week provided an estimate to RahwayRising of the tax impact on the average assessed home and assorted clarifications within the city budget via email. That came after several email exchanges with city staff who suggested submitting questions about the budget as an Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Most questions posed were related to revenue through Payment In Lieu Of Taxes (PILOT).
The city budget comprises one part of the overall tax bill, along with school taxes and county taxes. The 2023 municipal budget included an average tax increase of about $149.
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