WOODCLIFF LAKE —The Borough Council unanimously introduced a nearly $16 million municipal budget at its May 9 meeting, an increase of nearly $628,000 over last year’s budget.
A final budget public hearing is set for June 12 at 7 p.m. at Tice Senior Center, 411 Chestnut Ridge Road. The amount to be raised by local taxes is $11,764,819. Last year, the local tax levy was $11,408,830.
Efforts to determine the municipal tax increase on an average assessed home were not provided by the chief financial officer or borough administrator.
Administrator Tom Padilla told Pascack Press that over the years, annual tax increase information has only been made publicly available at the budget’s second reading and public hearing. He said this was due to the budget numbers being subject to change due to local and regional school taxes.
The introduced budget for 2023-2024 totals $15,696,161, versus the prior year’s budget of $15,068,518, according to the document. The budget is available on the borough website.
A 2023-2024 Summary of Appropriations shows operating expenses (salaries and wages) at $5,303,000 versus last year’s total of $5,100,580. Other expenses (generally health and medical benefits) show a total of $6,710,705 versus last year’s $6,381,243.
Upcoming capital improvements are budgeted at $150,000 versus $146,000 for the prior year.
Pascack Press requested a copy of the introduced budget following the May 9 meeting. Borough Clerk Debbie Dakin said the 76-page budget document was posted on the borough website on May 10.
Mayor Carlos Rendo told Pascack Press on May 10 that he was “not happy” with the budget’s tax increase and cited a slowdown of revenues due to a downturn in local hotel occupancy taxes.
The borough formed an exploratory committee recently to look into possible cannabis operations in town to help reduce property taxes.
