Bergen County freeholders introduce 2014 budget with no tax hike
JUNE 4, 2014, 9:34 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014, 9:42 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The Bergen County freeholders on Wednesday introduced a $507.6 million county budget for 2014 that will result in no property tax increase.
The freeholders cut $6.8 million in spending from the budget proposed by County Executive Kathleen Donovan, a proposal that would have called for a 1.9-percent tax hike.
Donovan’s budget would have increased annual taxes by $6.49 on the owner of the average home, assessed at $324,200. That led to some partisan comments from Democratic freeholders, who criticized the budget presented by Donovan, a Republican who is running for reelection.
“If this were up to the county executive, your taxes would have gone up,” said Democratic Freeholder James Tedesco, who is running against Donovan this year.
But Jeanne Baratta, Donovan’s chief of staff, criticized the freeholder budget as “smoke and mirrors” for an election year in which control of both the Freeholder Board and the county’s executive’s office is at stake. She predicted the budget would result in the county running short of funds by the time the election is over.
“They’re playing a shell game with the taxpayer’s money,” Baratta said after the meeting.
However, Republican Freeholder John Felice said he was proud to vote for the budget, calling it an example of bipartisan collaboration. In particular, he cited the freeholders’ decision to tap into trust funds maintained by different departments to cut the budget.
“It’s the people’s money, not our money,” Felice said.
The board used about $1.7 million in trust funds to offset an increase to the county’s contribution to Bergen Community College of $1.8 million.
A public hearing on the budget and a vote of adoption has been scheduled for July 9.
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