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West Windsor council adopts 2025 municipal budget with no municipal tax-rate increase
Summary
Council approved a $53 million municipal budget and a COLA ordinance allowing a 3.5% appropriation cap and a $854,000 cap bank; budget adds seven staff positions and funds increased debt service and once-weekly summer trash pickup.
The West Windsor Township Council adopted the 2025 municipal budget on May 19, approving a $53,000,004 total budget and keeping the municipal tax rate unchanged.
The council also adopted an ordinance to exceed the municipal budget appropriation limit (the COLA ordinance), allowing the township to increase appropriations up to 3.5 percent and to bank unused appropriation authority. Chief Financial Officer John said the ordinance will provide a cap bank of $854,000 to be used in the following two years. “Adoption of this ordinance permits an additional $382,006.47 increase in the final appropriations and will provide us with $854,000.82 and 67¢ as a cap bank,” John said during his presentation.
The nut graf: Council members and administration said the budget funds public safety and infrastructure needs while avoiding a municipal tax-rate increase. The budget increases total appropriations 6.36 percent over 2024 and adds seven new municipal positions — two police officers, two emergency medical technicians, one firefighter and two public works employees — to respond to population growth and increased service demand.
Council and finance staff presented details: the budget totals roughly $53 million, a 6.36 percent increase from 2024; salary and wages rose about 4.73 percent (driven by the seven new positions and an average wage increase of about 3.25 percent); “principal payment” (debt service) rose by roughly $1.4 million as the township begins permanent debt repayment; and solid-waste (refuse) collection costs rose $321,000 after the township moved to once-per-week summer collection under the new contract. John said the township’s revenue performance was positive: interest income rose after securing improved banking terms, and construction-related fees remained a strong revenue source.
During public comment and council discussion residents raised questions about capital project timing and neighborhood infrastructure. Council members and the mayor explained that passing the budget is only the first step: once the budget is adopted the township can pass a bond ordinance, the CFO can certify funds as available, and then capital projects proceed. “Just because they passed the budget doesn't mean the project can start tomorrow,” the mayor said, describing the required post-budget steps. Council members also noted the administration’s recent practice of more council involvement earlier in the budget process, including departmental presentations and a January prioritization workshop.
The council unanimously adopted the appropriation-cap ordinance and the budget in roll-call votes. The mayor, administration and council described the budget as cautious and forward-looking: fund balance increased in 2024 and the municipal portion of the tax levy remains unchanged for 2025.
Ending: The CFO said approved capital projects and professional-service contracts stemming from the budget will be brought to council in coming weeks; some projects will not begin until later in 2025 after bonding and bid processes are completed.
