Tax Rate to Stay Level in Sea Isle City

SEA ISLE CITY – At its annual budget presentation meeting and workshop for City Council Feb. 15, Sea Isle City Chief Financial Officer Paula Doll presented highlights of the municipal budget for 2018. Although the turnout from the public was sparse, the council had a few questions for Doll. 
At its regular meeting Feb. 13, the council received an upbeat report from Mayor Leonard Desiderio about the city’s financial position. At that time, he said, “I am certain that everyone will be delighted to learn that Sea Isle City property owners will not experience a tax rate increase in 2018 and that this is the fifth year in a row that there will be no increase in utility rates thanks to our very strong utility fund, which has resulted in no new utility debt.”
According to the 2017 Cape May County Abstract of Ratables, the city’s local purpose tax was $0.384 per $100 of assessed value. Since the rate will remain unchanged, that will be the tax to fund municipal services.
In her report, Doll noted that Sea Isle’s surplus is the highest it has been in the past decade with the 2018 figure standing at $5 million. She added that the city is pleased to have maintained this figure despite the fact that it needed to incorporate and fully fund its newly-formed municipal Emergency Medical Service Division, now being paid by the city.
She also said that summer 2017 saw strong revenues from both beach tag sales and parking meters. For example, beach fees were anticipated to be $1.2 million for both 2017 and 2018, but $1.4 million was realized for last summer.
Council President Mary Tighe probed a bit deeper into the numbers presented by the city including why health plan costs have increased; the response was that there are more children of covered employees which influenced upward the plan expense.
Tighe also asked about the increase in the street cleaning budget; it was explained that when an employee retires there is a transition period during which both that employee as well as the successor is on the payroll for training and short overlap of responsibilities resulting in a temporary higher expense.
To contact Camille Sailer, email csailer@cmcherald.com.