West Windsor’s residents have been hit hard with taxes of late. ##M:[more]##While Plainsboro’s apportionment of the WW-P school tax decreased, West Windsor’s rose by six percent. Minimal relief appeared to be coming in the form of a decrease in county taxes, but original estimates were wrong, and that tax will rise by 2 percent.
For those reasons, Council and Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said they have done all they can to lessen the sting of municipal spending increases. The administrators voted on Monday, March 19 to use $4.25 million of the township’s $6 million surplus to knock one penny off the tax rate. Residents will pay just a one cent increase in town tax this year.
“If the Township uses $2.25 million to support the 2007 budget, $1.8 million will remain in reserve surplus. This still represents 5.6% of the total municipal budget and will not adversely impact the level of services provided to our residents,” said Hsueh.
The total budget of $32.9 million was shaved by $55,”000 at the final budget meeting due to cuts recommended by council. Seeing no other way to reduce the increase, Hsueh made his recommendation to utilize the surplus. The one cent increase represents $57 to the average West Windsor homeowner. The average assessed value in the township is $574,”800. The tax rate will be $0.28 per 100 of assessed property value.
Some capital improvements that remain in the budget include $100,”000 for bike lane improvements, and $80,”000 to replace sidewalks for homeowners whose tree roots are causing cracks to form. Over the next six years, the township will spend $200,”000 per year to install sidewalks to connect its neighborhoods.
$350,”000 was budgeted to restore the former Princeton Junction Firehouse for use by the West Windsor Arts Council.
