Township Committee Passes Cranford’s 2013 Municipal Budget

Cranford residents will see an average increase of about $39 per year now that the township committee unanimously passed the 2013 municipal budget on Tuesday evening.

The $34.2 million budget represents an increase of 1.69 percent from last year, as announced by Commissioner Andis Kalnins, who serves as the chairman of the Finance Committee at the March 26 township meeting when the budget was first introduced.

He added at that meeting that the township hoped to make additional cuts before the budget hearing on the 23rd, but the budget passed on Tuesday was the same as originally introduced.

However, at the budget hearing on April 23, Kalnins said the township is anticipating additional savings but since they were not confirmed, they were not included in the voted on budget, the Cranford Chronicle reported.

The 2013 budget includes a 0.69 percent increase in appropriations, due to Irene related damage, the Chronicle Reported, as well as a 4.4 percent insurance increase, a 5.7 percent utilities increase and a 13 percent increase for debt services.

At the budget introduction meeting on March 26, Kalnins called the some of the more significant increases, “unavoidable.”  He expressed at the April 23 meeting that the township has plans to ofported that Kalnins said the increase in surplus has been significant over the past couple of years.

The 2013 budget includes a 0.69 percent increase in appropriations, due to Irene related damage, the Chronicle Reported, as well as a 4.4 percent insurance increase, a 5.7 percent utilities increase and a 13 percent increase for debt services.

At the budget introduction meeting on March 26, Kalnins called the some of the more significant increases, “unavoidable.”  He expressed at the April 23 meeting that the township has plans to offset some of those increases.

Included in the 2013 budget are $1.69 million in surplus and $2.5 million in capital. The Cranford Chronicle reported that Kalnins said the increase in surplus has been significant over the past couple of years.

The Chronicle quoted Kalnins saying, “We’re getting our costs under control, which will put us in better circumstances."

What do you think of the 2013 municipal budget? Tell us in the comments.