Tax-ridden residents lashed out against council members during the public budget hearing last week over the projected double-digit tax increase.
They clutched copies of the introduced $7.83 million municipal budget, which projects a 22.6 percent jump in the tax levy.
"You are taxing us right out of town," William Bauer said, one of several residents to speak.
For a $496,618 assessed home, the budget introduced in March threatens the homeowner with a $340.61 increase in their tax bills. That figure does not include the school district and Bergen County tax increases.
The budget calls for $5.1 million out of the $7.83 million budget to be raised through property taxes – a difference of $909,036 from last year’s $4.19 million tax levy.
Borough Auditor Steven Wielktoz explained that the council introduced the budget in order to meet a March 20 deadline for extraordinary aid from the state. Last year, the borough received $100,000 in extraordinary aid.
"Where does all this money go?" asked resident Peter Perretti, flipping through his copy of the preliminary budget.
Local officials pointed to salaries and wages bloated by $175,378 for police and firefighters, pensions inflated by $138,600 and library appropriations increased by $35,853.
Coupled with $344,410 slashed from property tax relief, local officials then said that much of the town’s financial woes could be blamed on the state.
"If I didn’t know where these numbers came from," continued Republican Council President Lloyd Winans, "I would’ve been spun up as well."
But residents were not convinced.
They said that political party strife, ill planning and a hurried budgetary process only made things worse.
Resident Antonio Velasquez, who witnessed his taxes increase 20 percent, asked council members to remember their duty to residents and to "be respectful of political party affiliations." The 30 audience members applauded the comment.
Disputes between Democrats and Republicans early in the year delayed professional appointments and pushed back the budget planning process until March. The handful of budget meetings have also been shorter this year, lasting two hours instead of four to six hours like last year, said Democratic Councilman Patrick Marana.
Democratic Mayor John Hogan, who opposed the budget’s introduction along with the other two Democrats, added that the Republican-led council took "a lazy man’s approach to budget." The mayor said that the council should have prepared the budget – not the chief financial officer and auditor.
He said that he believes that the council "has some say over" about 13.5 percent of the total tax levy increase. "But we need to work together on this," Hogan said.
Hogan highlighted several cost-cutting solutions: cutting $50,000 from police salaries and stripping $25,000 from accumulated sick time for employees.
Marana urged the council to "dip more into the cash surplus," once the borough determines how much to expect in revenue from added rateables such as newly opened businesses at Daibes Square. The tentative budget already calls for about $625,000 of the $983,000 cash surplus to be used to offset the budget increases.
"The town could easily use [another] $87,000 from the cash surplus that would be replenished through added assessments," agreed Hogan.
Residents too suggested that there be cuts across the board, the elimination of "wish lists" and most importantly, communication among council members. "You guys need to talk," Perretti said.
Hoping to avoid another estimated tax bill uproar this year, the mayor concluded the public hearing by promising residents that there is still more to come.
"This [will] not be the only public hearing on the budget," he said.
