The Town Council of Morristown adopted an ordinance updating the Special Improvement District and heard from the Morristown Partnership on a proposed $2,225,000 SID budget at its public meeting on July 8, 2025.

The Partnership said the proposed 2025 budget would be funded roughly 70% by the SID levy and 30% by other program revenues, and that the updated Schedule A and ordinance changes are intended to align contributing properties with current tax classifications. “This modest increase from last year's $1,400,000 SID levy reflects our commitment to keeping Morristown vibrant,” said Jennifer Waring, executive director of the Morristown Partnership.

The ordinance update to the SID — described in the meeting as an update to ordinance O-42-93 and introduced as O-26-2025 — was presented to correct decades-old entries in Schedule A, align the district with current assessor data, and include properties that had become eligible after redevelopment. Waring said staff conducted a property-by-property review and identified more than 100 eligible properties that had been omitted due to administrative changes such as lot consolidation or reclassification. She said the updated district valuation is approximately $2,230,000,000.

Waring outlined the Partnership's 2025 spending priorities: planning for capital expenditures, a new maintenance and safety program, increased foot patrols in partnership with the town police, a sidewalk pressure-washing program, repainting aging street poles and trash receptacles, and investments in marketing and business outreach. On funding mix she told the council that about 30% of the budget would come from non-assessment sources including four major events, gift certificate sales, advertising and occasional donations.

Waring also said the proposed rate change would reduce the SID assessment for many existing payers. “With the current Schedule A, the average property is valued at approximately $3,500,000 and is estimated to contribute about $4,000 a year,” she said. “Under the proposed update the average property value increases to approximately $4,500,000, but with the lower rate, most properties would see a reduced bill compared to last year.” She added that nearly half of SID properties would pay under $1,000 annually under the proposal.

Council members praised the outreach and the proposal’s emphasis on fairness and regular review. Councilman Polipchuk said the Partnership had done a “very fair proposal” and welcomed a planned annual review tied to land-use applications so property owners would not be surprised by changes. The council adopted ordinance O-26-2025 on a recorded vote during the meeting.

Public commenters raised transparency questions about how tenants are informed that SID assessments often appear as pass-through charges in leases. “I would encourage you to do more… let them know what they're being taxed and where that money is going,” said Bruce Marangolo, a resident who spoke during the public hearing. Council members and Partnership staff said outreach materials and translated documents had been mailed to commercial property owners and that the Partnership will continue door‑to‑door engagement and committee outreach to better include tenants and Spanish‑speaking proprietors.

The Partnership said legal notices, certified mailings to property owners and two open houses were completed after the ordinance and budget were introduced June 12, and that related documents have been posted to the Partnership’s website since June 13. The council set the public hearing and later voted to adopt the SID ordinance.