Council Approves Spending Amendment, Budget

The Township Council unanimously approved a spending amendment at its meeting Monday night, paving the way for the governing body to finally adopt the 2011 municipal budget.

The budget was increased by $180,558 with the amendment, which will not bring about a tax hike. Officials pulled the amendment money from the original budget's anticipated surplus, allowing for the tax levy to remain at the same $37,346,064 as when Mayor David Mayer introduced the $49 million spending plan on March 14.

The amendment resulted in the addition of $151,300 to the fuel budget, bringing the township's total for anticipated 2011 gas expenditures to $550,000. The move was made in light of sharply rising oil prices over recent months, according to Business Administrator Tom Cardis.

The average price for a gallon of gasoline in New Jersey jumped from about $2.50 in September, when budget preparation got underway, to $3.77 in late April.

The budget's appropriations column also was increased with the amendment by $29,258 to cover an interest payment on debt that was missed as Cardis and his team prepared the budget for introduction.

No one spoke during the public budget hearing held on April 25.