CAPE MAY — City Council approved its 2009 budget April 22 with a 1.2-cent increase in the local purpose tax rate per $100 of assessed property value.
Earlier in the year, it appeared the budget would have a 2.1-cent increase.
Budget reductions included a city firefighter/EMT that is retiring who will be replaced with an employee receiving a starting wage.
Two employees retiring from the public works department will be replaced by part time and seasonal employees. One city hall secretarial position will be eliminated through attrition. Positions will be reconfigured between the City Clerk’s Office and the City Manager/Mayor’s Office to serve secretarial needs.
Auditor Leon Costello said the budget was $163,000 under a mandatory 4 tax levy percent cap. He said the tax increase was the lowest for the city in the past three to four years.
Costello said the budget would not harm the future of the city. He said the budget had “no gimmicks, deferrals or furloughs.”
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the budget would allow the city to survive “rigorous economic times and still be able to provide the services the public expects within a reasonable amount of money the public can afford.”
Lower Township – Who are these people that are obvious experts on trash cans and leaf pick-up? Maybe they don't have any trash to put out or leaves in their yard!!
