MIDDLETOWN – Maintaining municipal programs and services will cost Middletown taxpayers approximately $1.32 million less this year based on the municipal budget adopted by a majority of the Township Committee last night.

Middletown’s 2009 municipal budget totals $61,564,754, a decrease of $1,327,894 under the final 2008 budget which totaled $62,892,648. The municipal portion of the total tax rate is expected to be $0.35 per $100 of assessed value which equates to an increase of 1.95 cents per $100 of assessed value or $7 more per month for the average homeowner with a home assessed at $433,718. Historically, the municipal tax rate is about 20 percent of the tax bill homeowners receive. Another 19 percent is the county’s portion of the bill. The final 61 percent goes to school taxes.

“These are challenging times. The fact that Township is able to maintain all municipal services and spend $1.32 million less than last year is quite an accomplishment,” said Mayor Pamela M. Brightbill. “I am proud of the work the Township Committee, our administrator and department heads did to get us to this point.”

“The 2009 budget is adopted, but our work is far from over. We will continue to seek new avenues to cut costs and generate revenues for future budget cycles,” said Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante. “Furloughs were a real option this year that we hope to avoid next year. The township already has a very low number of employees per capita, compared to most municipalities and the lowest number of police per capita in Monmouth County. Reducing staff further would impact the level of service residents deserve and expect. We are also cognizant that furloughs would be felt most by lower wage workers and their families.”

The Township Committee reduced spending below 2008 levels in the face of a significant loss of revenue of approximately $3.6 million. The revenue loss stems primarily from reductions in state aid, permit fees, interest earned on bank deposits and the depletion of surpluses. To minimize the impact on local property taxpayers, township officials have cut more than $5 million in departmental expenditure requests, garnered $1.3 million in grants, requested a 50% deferral on pension contributions and implemented new cost-saving measures.

Measures being implemented to further enhance the township’s long history of fiscal efficiency include, but are not limited to:

Tax bills will be issued immediately following Monmouth County’s certification of the total tax rate, which includes the school, county and municipal taxes rates.