Shrewsbury Council Debates Property Taxes

Correction: Red Bank Regional School District's taxes rose nearly 3.7 percent last year, not 37 percent as stated at the council meeting.

Property taxes, a concern for many homeowners, dominated the public comment portion of the recent Shrewsbury council meeting as residents took to the microphone to voice their concerns and address new council members.

Shrewsbury resident Marjorie Clark sounded off before the council, saying that high taxes were forcing people out of their homes and Monmouth County.

“This is a new year and I see new faces on this council, but high property taxes are affecting the housing market, and now (homeowners) are selling their homes in Shrewsbury,” Clark said.

Councilman Peter Meyer said that Red Bank Regional School District – Shrewsbury is one of the high school’s sending districts – increased school taxes by 37 percent last year. County taxes increased by 10 percent and the municipal tax rate rose three cents.

Meyer said that Councilman William Dodge, chairman of the borough's Finance and Grants Committee will look carefully at every component of the budget this year.

"Red Bank Regional takes in a tremendous amount of students from other towns, and we want to know if we are getting the best return on the costs per pupil," Meyer said.

Clark said high property taxes are causing residents in Shrewsbury and other nearby towns financial hardships.

"This is an issue that is aching us and is a major concern and quite frankly we aren't the only town that high property taxes are affecting residents," she said.

Meyer said for the municipal budget in Shrewsbury "nothing is off the table" regarding reductions in the budget. In 2010, the municipal budget was $8.6 million. The borough laid off two recycling employees when the governing body opted to outsource its recycling programs.

Prior to the public session, Dodge said that he wants to have more transparency in preparing the 2011 municipal budget.

"Budget workshops will be open to the public beginning in April, and we want to gear up to let residents know where our tax dollars are going," he said.

Dodge added that he has asked all borough's departments to have a 10 to 20 percent decrease in their budgets.

"This is just a planning objective, and we are going to meet with each department head to see how much of a reduction can actually be achieved," he said.

Borough Administer Thomas Seaman said the council would most likely introduce the 2011 municipal budget in May. What the budget looks like, however, depends on the amount of state aid the borough will receive.

"We are waiting for state aid figures," Seaman said.

Download the movie