Cherry Hill Holds Line On Taxes Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
CHERRY HILL, NJ — Cherry Hill Council held the line on taxes when it approved this year's proposed budget Tuesday night as residents continue to struggle amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Cherry Hill Council unanimously approved the proposed $74,035,812 budget that carries no tax increase during Tuesday night’s meeting, which was held via Zoom.
“I’m very proud that the township is able to protect the taxpayers and invest in the services and amenities our community expects and deserves,” Cherry Hill Mayor Susan Shin Angulo said. “This is definitely a win for Cherry Hill.”
New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.
She said the budget invests in parks, playgrounds, historical sites, the library, technology and services to keep the township safe and infrastructure upgrades.
Township Business Administrator Erin Patterson Gill previously said the tax rate will remain the same because the township will be collecting a greater amount of taxes through the township's ratable base. Read more here: No Tax Increase In Cherry Hill’s Proposed Budget Amid Pandemic
The vote came a few months later than in a typical year as New Jersey continues to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic. The township introduced the budget on Sept. 28,after Gov. Phil Murphy extended the fiscal year to Sept. 30.
Murphy held the state's first budget address in February, before the pandemic broke out and the state was shut down in March. He held his second budget address on Aug. 25, at which time he called for more taxes and revenues to help offset the impact the pandemic is having statewide, local officials did all they could to keep taxes from increasing.
On Oct. 1, Murphy signed a budget that includes rebates to homeowners, revised school funding, money designed to help businesses reopen and a millionaire's tax. Murphy has said that the tax hike is necessary because economic shutdowns have depleted the state's revenues amid the coronavirus crisis. Read more here: Gov. Phil Murphy Signs Revised NJ Budget: Here's What It Will Do
Cherry Hill Council also gave final approval to the proposed ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limits and establish a cap bank Tuesday night. It is a proposal introduced by municipalities across the state at budget time.
It is done so municipalities can adopt a budget that contains an appropriation increase that exceeds the 2.5 percent appropriation cap (but only up to a maximum of 3.5 percent); or "bank" for future use, the extent to which their actual budget appropriation increases are less than 3.5 percent. Cherry Hill is not exceeding the municipal budget limit this year.
See more stories about New Jersey's coronavirus recovery.
This article originally appeared on the Cherry Hill Patch
