Neary says council will get budget sooner
BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK - At the request of some TownshipCouncilmembers, the administration has agreed to present its municipal budget for review earlier this calendar year.

During Monday's council meeting, Mayor William Neary said he will give his formal presentation in February, and the budgetwill be adopted in March as required by state statute.

Township resident Bernard Prohaska had spoken during the public portion ofMonday's meeting and asked if the township would present the budget any earlier this year. Prohaska questioned whether the township purposely withheld action on the budget until after the school election last year so as not to sway voters' decision on the school budget.

In last year's school election, held onApril 17, East Brunswick residents approved a 2007-08 budgetwith a 37-cent increase in the school tax rate. Later thatmonth,Neary presented his $62 million municipal budget and the council then introduced it, paving theway for a 15-cent increase in the municipal tax rate. On Monday, the council voted 4-1 to authorize a temporary spending appropriation that allows the administration to spend up to about 26 percent of this year's budget. The movewas needed because the town has to pay bills even though it has not yet adopted the budget, according to Business Administrator James White. The bills pertain to the first three months of the year and pay for debt service, insurance and other costs.

"It's a formula the state permits," White said. White said he is hopeful that the township will not need an extension and will be able to adopt themunicipal budget inMarch.

ButCouncilmanDavid Stahl,who has lobbied in the past for the budget to be presented earlier so that the council can have more meaningful input, is not completely satisfied. He wants to see a budget plan for the next four to five years, and for that plan to work "hand in hand" with this year's budget. Stahl fears the township will be in poor financial condition come 2011, when certain revenues dry out, unless action is taken now.

"There will be a budget problem in 2011, and you need to plan over a number of years," Stahl said.

The situation pertains to Toll Brothers' planned redevelopment of the Golden Triangle property onRoute 18. TollBrothers,which purchased the site fromthe township, is paying for it in annual installments, and Stahl is hoping that the new businesses will be in operation and paying taxes when those payments run out.

Neary said he appreciated Stahl's suggestion, but noted that developing the budget is a "two-way street." He asked Stahl for suggestions he might have about any possible changes tomake in the budget.

Stahl said that,without the budget details in front of him, it is impossible to offer much in theway of input.He suggested forming a finance committee toworkwith the council and administration to help bridge the gap between the two bodies. The administration prepares the line-by-line budget, and the council is not provided with asmuch information.

Neary said this is the sixth municipal budget that Stahl has worked on, so he must realize the line items do not change much fromyear to year.He added there are no "surprises or changes" coming in this year's budget.

"It's basically the same, line by line," he said.

Stahl responded that themunicipal tax increased by 12 percent last year, farmore than it did in any previous years since he joined the council.

He said he feels that, since fixed costs will increase again this year, discretionary spending should be cut.

White said that Neary has scheduled a meeting with department heads to look for areas of the budget that can be trimmed.

Newly named Council President Catherine Diemsaid she has also voiced support for the idea of getting the budget to the council earlier.

Council members Nancy Pinkin, Donald Klemp and Edward Luster said the administration has been receptive to suggestions and open to sharing budget information.

Stahlwas the only councilmember to vote against Monday's temporary budget appropriation.

Diemsaid she voted in favor of the appropriation because the township has to pay its bills.

"Our responsibility now is to keep the lights on," she said.