Bergen County’s 2026 Budget Proposed: Skyrocketing Health Costs Drive Tax Increase
file photo courtesy of Bergen County Executive James Tedesco
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, Bergen County officials have introduced a $749 million budget for 2026, proposing a 4.01% increase in the county tax levy, largely driven by soaring healthcare premiums and uncontrollable costs, officials announced on April 8.
While the budget represents an increase, County Executive James Tedesco framed the proposal as a move to maintain vital services and keep the county a desirable place to live.
🏠 What This Means for Bergen County Taxpayers
- Average Increase: Homeowners with an average assessed home value of $599,345 will see an estimated tax increase of $79.90 annually.
- Monthly Impact: The increase breaks down to approximately $6.65 per month, which Executive Tedesco famously illustrated by bringing in pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream during the presentation to symbolize the monthly cost.
- Tax Bill Structure: Bergen County taxes make up roughly 11.9% of a resident’s total tax bill, which also includes municipal and school taxes.
🏥 Why Are Taxes Going Up?
The primary driver behind the 4.01% hike is a dramatic surge in healthcare costs, which accounted for 2.7% of the total budget increase.
- Initial Hike: Before negotiations with unions, the county was facing a 24.5% increase in healthcare costs.
- Negotiated Outcome: After freezing employee health care contributions for the first three months of 2026, the county negotiated a finalized 11.6% increase in healthcare premiums and prescription plans starting April 1.
- Other Factors: Beyond healthcare, “uncontrollable costs” in fuel, food, and electricity contributed to the budget rise.
📊 Highlights of the 2026 Proposed Budget
Despite the increase, the county stated there are no service cuts or reductions. The budget focuses on stability and community investment:
- Education Funding: A $2.9 million increase for Bergen Community College and the County Technical and Special Service school districts.
- Infrastructure & Safety: Continued investment in county infrastructure, public safety, parks, and open space.
- Revenue Generation: The budget was stabilized through increased revenue from county golf courses and dispatch services.
- Fiscal Management: The budget includes the elimination of 38 vacant positions.
“It allows us to do all the things you want us to do and the people of Bergen County want us to do to continue to live, work and raise a family here,” Tedesco said.
🗓️ Next Steps
The Board of Commissioners will now begin a series of meetings with department heads to review the budget before it is formally adopted.
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Bergen County budget 2026, Bergen County property taxes, NJ property tax increase, James Tedesco, Bergen County health care costs, Bergen County NJ news, tax levy 2026, NJ municipal budget.
nj/bergen county prop tax increase:
school tax 3.5+
municipal tax 3.5+
county tax 4+
florida:….no income tax; moving towards eliminating property tax
Florida. LOL.
Unless you’re a millionaire, Ridgewood has become unaffordable. Sad!
There’s no need for county govt