Lawmakers are preparing to send the borough’s $24.9 million preliminary budget to Trenton.
The council has been holding public budget workshops since mid-January, which lead to the preliminary formation of the 2008 municipal budget.
Once lawmakers are set on a preliminary plan it will be sent to Trenton for review.
The borough’s municipal budget last year was $23.2 million.
"I feel good about this plan," Mayor Peter Rustin said. "I think the end result has been a very realistic number."
Tenafly, though, was not spared from any of the traditional increases. This year, similar to previous ones, the municipal government is dealing with budgeting for increases largely from contractual obligations, state mandates and utilities. Lawmakers budgeted $46,000 for the estimated gas use, totaling $197,000.
"Seventy-percent [of the budget] is mandated either by contracts, benefits or insurance," Rustin said. "There is very little left to work with."
Lawmakers were, however, able to keep the Police Department’s budget increase to a moderate level. Spending in that department climbed close to $200,000, driving the total budget to $5.2 million.
"We are very fortunate that we have an excellent chief," Rustin said. "He has cut down on overtime."
Over the weekend, lawmakers meet, holding their last public budget workshop meeting. They discussed the capital budget, which comes in at $123,000. Last year the total package was more than $233,000.
Tenafly still has time to submit the preliminary plan to the state since Trenton extended the budget deadline.
Many municipalities, including Tenafly, are just now receiving the state’s financial aid figures — which is a revenue source used to offset the municipal taxes needed to fund programs.
"The new budget deadline gives us a little more time," Rustin said yesterday.
If the budget was adopted as is, Rustin projected a 5 percent increase.
That figure, however, represents one-third of the overall taxes residents will have to pay this year. The remaining two-thirds will come from the school board’s and the county’s budget.
Overall, Rustin is confident that the budget is a good plan.
He anticipates that the final budget will be adopted in April.
E-mail: lang@northjersey.com or call 201-894-6710
