NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ (April 18, 2024) - Mayor Cahill has released a letter discussing highlights of the proposed 2024 Municipal Budget.

The full text of the letter is available below or by clicking here.

Dear Members of City Council, Residents and Taxpayers,

The proposed budget for 2024 has been submitted with $111,747,754 in total expenditures supported by a levy of $39,703,000.

The budget maintains all of our regular municipal services expanded over the years. In addition, the budget calls for the hiring of thirteen police officers, three of whom will hit our streets this summer and ten will enter the police academy in August; outfitting our Fire Fighters with additional safety equipment; and expanding programming and offerings for residents in recreation, the Teen Center, and the Senior Center. The budget also provides for a $4,500,000 increase in health care insurance obligations, reflecting a return to pre-COVID like numbers, while still complying with the all Appropriation and Levy CAP requirements.

In addition to meeting City operational demands, this budget will continue to make investments that improve the infrastructure that our residents rely on and the quality of life in our neighborhoods.

Our park improvement program continues with the start of construction on Liberty Square Park; the replacement/resurfacing of hard surface playing courts, including for new pickleball courts; and the installation of newly purchased playground equipment in Simplex Avenue, Quentin Avenue, Joyce Kilmer, Alec E. Baker, Alice Jennings Archibald and Kossuth Parks. Plans also include a complete renovation of Alec E. Baker Park as we await the results of a $1.9 million Greenacres grant application filed with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

As stewards of the City's buildings and facilities, this year's projects include the historic renovation of the iconic brick façade of Engine 5 on Bartlett Street and interior improvements and repairs to the Free Public Library and its elevator and HVAC system.

In addition to all that is going on above ground, the City will be just as active underground, replacing over three miles of water mains in areas in and around Rutgers Village, Lee Avenue, Suydam Street, Jersey Avenue, College Avenue, Richmond Street,

Albany Street, Burnet Street, High Street, Jones Avenue, Paul Robeson Blvd., Delavan Street and Bishop Street. The roadways for each of these projects will be newly paved when completed.

Other streets scheduled to be repaved this year include Louis Street, Courtland Street, Van Dyke Avenue, Brookside Avenue, Maple Street, Florence Street, Reed Street, Howard Street, Sanford Street with Hiram Square.

With recent and projected long-term shifts in temperature and weather patterns, new to the City budget this year is a Stormwater Utility intended to raise and direct funds to combat unprecedented flooding that threatens the lives and properties of our residents. The Stormwater Utility will provide the means of developing a long-term Stormwater Capital Improvement Master Plan, address repair needs, reduce litter and pollution in the City's waterways, and provide additional resources to address the impacts of flooding to private and public property.

The Stormwater Utility will generate revenue to cover the costs of these services by placing a fee on public and private properties based on the amount of stormwater runoff that drains to the City's stormwater management systems. Historically, the payment for these expenses was drawn from property taxes on private property and not based on the amount of stormwater runoff a property generates and discharges to the City. It is anticipated that this Stormwater Utility will be able to generate approximately $1.5 million at a modest rate for all property owners. Funds from the Stormwater Utility will be placed into an Enterprise Fund that will restrict the use of those funds to only stormwater management related activities. The City will develop this system in conjunction with the normal budget process and authorization through the City Council.

We also continue to benefit from our revitalization efforts as recent development projects have realized an increase of $565,000 in revenue, nearly $1 in construction code fees and $46.3 million in the total assessed valuation of taxable property in the City.

A tax rate increase of 3 cents has been proposed for this budget resulting in an annual increase of $92.76 for the average property owner, defined as an owner of a property assessed at $263,194.51.

Thank you for your review of the proposed 2024 budget. As always, your input and suggestions are welcome.

Sincerely,

JIM CAHILL

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