Finance Corner

Your Tax Dollars

Once again I would like to remind our taxpayers that the Borough, the local municipal government, the administration that runs the town, oversees the delivery of vital services from police and first aid to fire protection, that cleans your streets, picks up your trash, removes the snow, collects your recyclables, ensures the quality of your potable water and provides a myriad of other small but essential services such as issuing building permits, dog and cat licenses, and yes, the collection of the tax money that defrays the costs of these services, that this entity - your municipal government - controls only 24% of your tax dollar.

What does this mean? Well if you are an average homeowner and the assessed value of your property is $350,000.00 you will pay $10,129.00 in property tax. Of that amount, more than half, $5,495.00 goes to the Brielle Board of Education. Monmouth County receives $1,967.00 in county tax, $112.00 in county library tax and $115.50 for the county open space fund. The balance of $2,439.50 goes to the Borough of Brielle.

AVERAGE TAX BILL
ASSESSMENT OF $350,000 = PROPERTY TAX OF $10,129.00
BRIELLE BOARD OF EDUCATION	$5,495.00
COUNTY OF MONMOUTH	$1,967.00
COUNTY LIBRARY TAX	$ 112.00
COUNTY OPEN SPACE FUND	$ 115.50
TOTAL	$7,689.00 (76%)

BOROUGH OF BRIELLE	$2,439.50 (24%)

All the services that we associate with the unique quality of life that we all enjoy and which makes us one of the most desirable locations on the Jersey Shore are provided by 24 cents of your tax dollar. The family with the $350,000 home pays $6.68 a day for all their municipal services. I don't know about you, but I think it's a bargain.

The Council does not control the county or the school tax rate. We are not being critical of either entity and we recognize the valuable services that both provide, but we feel that it is important that you, the taxpayer, recognize the services that we provide and the relative cost of those services.

Thank you.

Frank A. Garruzzo, Councilman
Finance Committee Chairman

FINANCE CORNER YEAR END UP-DATE:

MUNICIPAL TAX RATE

YEAR RATE INCREASE

2006 0.697 +.022

2005 0.675 +.006

2004 0.699 +.003

2003 0.666 +.023

2002 0.643 +.039

2001 0.604

Between 2001 and 2006 the average increase to the municipal tax rate was .015 cents. I believe this is a positive reflection on the Governing Body's on-going commitment to maintaining the current quality of life in our Borough, by the provision of municipal services and infrastructure improvements, with a minimal impact on the municipal tax rate.

Let's be honest, at a time when the COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) is at 5.5%, it is increasingly difficult to maintain a consistent level of municipal services without some measure of increase in the municipal tax rate, but I can assure you that your Finance Committee, in conjunction with the Governing Body, has always, and will continue in the future, to strive to provide you with the maximum level of municipal services at a cost effective price. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas & a Happy & Healthy New Year!!

Frank Garruzzo, Chairman Finance Committee

Borough of Brielle
601 Union Lane
Brielle, NJ 08730
(732) 528-6600