Township Council Introduces Second Straight Flat Tax Rate Budget

Bridgewater, NJ – At last night’s Township Council meeting, the Administration introduced the 2022 Municipal Budget, keeping the tax rate flat for Bridgewater residents. The 2022 budget is the second consecutive budget with no municipal tax rate increase for Bridgewater taxpayers.

“The Budget that I am presenting to you today gets the job done for our residents,” said Mayor Matthew Moench in his budget address. “It will fully fund all of the services that you have come to expect while beginning to position the Township in a way that ensures its fiscal health for years to come.”

This budget, which covers the municipal portion of a resident’s property tax bill in Bridgewater, is approximately 11% of the total property tax bill. The balance is represented by the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District, Somerset County and, to a much smaller extent, the local Fire Districts.

“I said it last year, and I’ll say it again this year – the most important number in this Budget is zero,” continued Moench. “This year, we are presenting the Township Council and our residents with a 0% increase in the municipal tax rate. This decision will keep Bridgewater as one of, if not the lowest municipal property tax rate in Somerset County. Any increase seen by residents on the local portion of their bill will be a result of the mandated reassessment process which could change the value of their property.”

Council Vice-President and member of the Finance Committee, Michael Kirsh, noted the formidable achievement of delivering back-to-back flat tax rate budgets.

“Mayor Moench delivered a strong, fiscally prudent budget that features a flat tax rate year over year. Township Council will now scrutinize that budget, including both the expenditures and anticipated revenues,”  said Kirsh. “We will follow our longstanding tradition of passing an operationally sound spending plan for the lowest possible cost to our taxpayers.”

Council President Allen Kurdyla emphasized the accomplishment of keeping the tax rate flat, but also discussed the future challenges that this Budget tackles.

“I am glad that this Budget was able to maintain the tax rate that Bridgewater Taxpayers are accustomed to, but there’s more work to be done,” said Kurdyla. “In the last few years we have seen declines from our non-property-tax revenue sources, such as those raised from Bridgewater Commons, or from our Hotel Occupancy tax. We have worked diligently to minimize the impacts of those shortfalls, but our vision must look towards the future to ensure that Bridgewater is fiscally sound for years to come.”

“I refuse to be the Mayor that is looked back on years from now and derided for kicking the proverbial can down the road as so many elected officials do,” concluded Mayor Moench. “Maintaining fiscal stability while focusing on disciplined budgeting and providing top tier services to our residents is the challenge and the opportunity. I embrace it as I do all things in Bridgewater and I am confident that the future is bright. I would like to thank the Council, especially the Council Finance Committee, for being a dedicated partner throughout this process, and I look forward to continuing our collaboration on this budget to best serve the Bridgewater community in 2022 and beyond.”