Trenton council adopts amended 2025 municipal and utility budgets after public hearing

The Trenton City Council on Sept. 16 approved amendments to the city's 2025 municipal and municipal-utility budgets and then adopted the amended municipal budget after a public hearing and brief questions from council members.

Municipal clerk Brandon Garcia opened the hearing and read two resolutions amending the 2025 municipal current fund budget and the municipal utility budget. Finance staff identified the main changes as a reduction in requested state transition aid and a number of line-item updates and grant awards.

The amendments were described by finance staff member Mr. Cherry, who told council the city had requested $45,000,000 in transition aid but had been granted $40,500,000. "The municipal tax rate again is a 2% increase and that is mandated by the Department of Community Affairs," Cherry said. He also walked through revenue and appropriation shifts in the introduced budget and explained that the total budget after amendments is about $281,306,307.38.

The city presented specific adjustments to revenue lines and grants used to offset appropriations, including community-oriented policing grants, summer food service program funds, Byrne JAG justice assistance awards from multiple years, Clean Communities funds, childhood lead prevention funds and a $3,000,000 appropriation listed as SNJ historic Trenton City Hall. Cherry said the changes were relatively small overall but noted a roughly $12 million change in amounts outside the municipal cap.

Council members asked substantive questions. One member asked whether the roughly 40% share of the budget for salaries and wages was typical; Cherry said that proportion is common and depends on municipal resources. A second council member asked how constituents could find the budget presentation online; Cherry explained the budget is posted under the government "Budgets" page on the city website and said he would ask the web team to add a news post linking the presentation.

Cherry also detailed the tax impact: the municipal rate would move from 3.672 to 3.707, an increase of roughly 33.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. He said that for a property assessed at $100,000 the municipal tax increase would be about $35 per year; for the city's average home (he estimated $50,000$60,000) the increase would be roughly $18$20 per year.

After the public hearing on each amendment, council members voted. Roll-call results recorded in the meeting minutes show the council approved the municipal current fund amendments (Resolution 25-344) and the municipal utility amendments (Resolution 25-346). The council then voted to adopt the amended municipal budget (Resolution 25-360); the motion carried.

The clerk said two certified copies of the municipal resolution would be filed with the Director of Local Government Services for certification and that the budget amendment notice would be published in the Trenton Times. The clerk also noted that taxpayers and interested persons could present objections at the hearing that was held Sept. 16 at 5:30 p.m.

Why it matters: the amendments reflect a shortfall in the transition aid the city requested and several grant and revenue-line adjustments that affect departmental appropriations and amounts outside the municipal cap. The council approved the adjustments and adopted the amended budget, clearing the way for the city to certify the budget and move forward with appropriations and grant administration.

A few details from the hearing: Cherry said transition aid awarded was $40,500,000 (down from the requested $45,000,000) and noted a $10,000,000 capital city aid amount. He identified the amended total municipal budget at about $281.3 million and the municipal tax-rate change from 3.672 to 3.707. He emphasized that department wages and benefits remain the largest portion of appropriations.

The council approved the budget amendments and adoption by roll call; the meeting minutes list the voting council members and record the motion as carried.