Wildwood’s Budget Passed, Tax Increase Included

WILDWOOD – City commissioners met for a special meeting April 29 to adopt Wildwood’s 2020 municipal budget. Introduced April 1, the budget includes a 4.8-cent increase in the local tax rate.
Mayor Peter Byron describes the increase as “unavoidable” due to spikes in operational costs, i.e. contractual labor agreements, pension costs, trash and tipping fees, and a near $200,000 reduction in revenues from court fines. The mayor stressed that the administration is not “celebrating” the tax increase.
An average residential homeowner, whose property is assessed at $205,000, will see a $105 increase in their tax bill. In 2019, the local purpose tax was calculated at $1.492 per $100 of assessed value.
City Administrator Carl Groon shared his insights May 4, in a phone interview.
“Before the pandemic,” Groon said, “I thought we were in good shape.” Groon said the budget allowed the city to move toward lowering taxes for 2021. However, in light of COVID-19, the intended intake of revenue remains questionable. 
“We are going to lose income this year,” Groon said, adding that commissioners will seek ways to bring in revenue. Diminishing Wildwood’s loss of ratables is one of the main objectives, he added. Attracting homebuyers and businesses is crucial to the city’s stability and future.
“We’ll see how we do this summer,” Groon said.
Cutting spending is another building block, and, according to Groon, the city has made reductions in staffing since July 2019.
The total budget for 2020 is $31.1 million, with an estimated $21.5 million to be collected by taxes.
 “Obviously, none of us welcomes increases in our taxes, but Wildwood faces unusual challenges for a shore community and there’s no quick fix,” Commissioner Krista Fitzsimons said, in previous comments.
Both Fitzsimons and Commissioner Steve Mikulski maintain optimism for long-term financial stability in Wildwood.
No further comment from the administration has been given. 
To contact Rachel Rogish, email rrogish@cmcherald.com.