Tax increase announced at 'State of the Town'

By Michael D’Onofrio, Managing Editor
With more than 100 residents and local officials looking on at the annual Chamber of Commerce Breakfast, Mayor Robert Parisi took to the rostrum Wednesday morning at The Manor to outline the administration’s expectations and goals for 2012 in his “State of the Town” address.
The speech touched upon and highlighted the various integral parts of the township, which he insisted must continue to work together in order to match the successes of the past.
And looking to the past, Parisi announced that due to a year in which Mother Nature took center stage with an earthquake, tropical storm and early October snowstorm, the township will be raising taxes in 2012.
“Wrestling with a significant revenue shortfall from one year ago,” said Parisi, “the 2012 budget presented to the council for their review presents a budget that unfortunately ... estimates an increase in our municipal taxes.”
The projected tax increase is expected to be one half of 1 percent of the overall property tax of a homeowner, said Parisi. He did note that, at this time, this is a projection of the increase, and a more concrete number will be provided in the months ahead as the budget is finalized. “Though we will ask the council to consider this, we do believe .....