2009-04-15 Ewing Passes Budget

Ewing passes budget Wednesday, April 15, 2009 By JOAN GALLER Staff Writer

EWING — It was a virtual lovefest last night when the Democratic-controlled Ewing Township Council adopted a $44.6 million budget for Fiscal 2009 that calls for a two-cent cut in the municipal tax rate. Before calling for the budget vote, Democratic Council President Kathleen Wollert praised Republican Mayor Jack Ball and his administration for bringing in the budget with the lowered tax rate. The proceedings stood in stark contrast to last week’s slugfest, when the Democrats, notably Wollert and Democratic Councilman Bert Steinmann, lambasted Ball for giving them a budget riddled with “errors” and requiring amendments. The embattled mayor heatedly denied their charges and laid the blame at the doorstep of the State Legislature for its last-minute decisions on state aid and other financial issues. Last night, a smiling Ball thanked Wollert and Steinmann for their compliments to his administration. “This is a great day in Ewing,” Ball said, “because we’ve got a council and administration working” together in true non-partisan fashion for the good of Ewing and its residents. Acting Finance Officer Chris Jack and Joseph Monzo, an accountant who is assisting Jack, were present to defend the revisions. Monzo said the state was clearly to blame for the budgetary delays. The final $44.6 million budget, which calls for $16,219,546 to be raised by taxes, was first amended and given the legally required public hearing before it was adopted by the council. The tax rate for municipal purposes is 89 cents per $100 of assessed property value, compared with 91 cents last year. The reduction does not affect the school and county portions of the total budget. In related action, the council voted to extend the grace period for payment of taxes from May 1 to May 16. The council also adopted three separate ordinances to:   

Reappropriate $100,000 to buy an ambulance for $55,000 and use the $45,000 balance for the planned animal shelter, which has a fall target completion date. Revise the Ewing Township Arts Commission membership to 11 persons. Amend the noise control regulations.

A fourth ordinance regulating residential rental units was defeated by the council because of inherent defects. It was immediately succeeded by the introduction of a revised version, which will be given a public hearing at the council’s April 28 meeting.

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