Hawthorne mayor presents 2025 budget, council introduces ordinance to begin adoption process

Mayor Lane presented the borough’s proposed 2025 municipal budget on April 2, telling the Hawthorne Borough Council the municipal tax rate will increase 4.5% this year and asking the council to introduce the budget ordinance for formal public hearing and adoption on May 7.

"I'm going to dive right into and tell you that the tax rate increase will be 4.5% this year," Mayor Lane said during the presentation. He said four costs beyond local control — sewage charges, employee health benefits, garbage disposal and the police/fire pension charge — together account for most of the increase.

The mayor said the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission will raise treatment charges by 22.5% over 2024, the State Health Benefits Program is projecting about a 15% rise in employee health costs, a new garbage‑disposal contract reflected a roughly 24.1% higher rate per ton, and pension charges rose an estimated 6.6%. He said those four items amount to roughly $815,000 of the borough’s cost increases, compared with a $1,025,000 increase in the tax levy.

Lane said the average homeowner will see a $122 increase in municipal taxes and that the municipal portion of a Hawthorne property tax bill remains under one quarter of the total bill, with schools the largest share. "Without these increases, the tax rate increase would be a mere point 3%," he added.

The presentation outlined revenue sources and major spending categories: about 72.2% of general fund revenue is from taxes; surplus (one‑time funds) and fees are other notable sources. Salaries and benefits account for about 47% of expenditures, with police costs called out as the largest single line. The mayor also described capital plans including paving projects, sidewalk work (to be assessed to property owners), municipal building second‑floor renovations, a fire rescue apparatus purchase, drainage improvements, and water‑utility capital tied to PFAS treatment and mandated service‑line replacement.

Mayor Lane urged the council to introduce the budget ordinance at the April 2 meeting so the governing body can hold a public hearing and vote on final adoption at its May 7 meeting. The council voted, by roll call, to introduce the 2025 municipal budget ordinance (BRO2‑2025) and conduct the statutorily required budget self‑examination.

Mayor Lane acknowledged the administration and finance staff — borough administrator Eric Maurer and finance director Lori Foley among others — and the council’s finance committee for preparing the document and recommended adoption next month.

Where it matters: the budget affects municipal services such as road maintenance, garbage and recycling, library and recreation programs, volunteer fire and ambulance support, and utility rates for water customers. Lane also noted New Jersey mandates that have affected the water utility budget, including PFAS treatment and the state requirement to replace galvanized water service lines.

The council set a public hearing on the introduced budget ordinance for 7:00 p.m. on May 7 at the municipal building and moved the ordinance to second reading as required by law.