Council introduces $63.09 million 2026 municipal budget; public hearing set for May 6
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Summary
City Manager Adam Cruz introduced the 2026 municipal budget totaling $63,085,013.94, said the council used about $10 million from surplus and kept the municipal tax rate at 0.516; a public hearing is scheduled for May 6 and the budget will go to the NJ Department of Community Affairs for review.
City Manager Adam Cruz and staff presented the introduction of the calendar year 2026 municipal budget and the council voted to introduce it for public hearing and review by the state.
Cruz said the proposed budget totals $63,085,013.94, an increase of about $619,889 from 2025, and that the municipal tax rate remains at 0.516. He said the city used roughly $10,000,000 from surplus to balance the budget and maintain current service levels.
"The budget for this year is 63,085,013.94," Cruz said as he walked through the numbers and explained constraints including insurance and state health benefit increases. Cruz said the city faced a potential double‑digit spike in health benefit costs but negotiated a shift for most employees to an alternate plan that reduced a projected 34% increase to about 13%.
Council members thanked staff for extensive line‑by‑line review to find savings and emphasized the need to restrain spending in the next fiscal year, citing continuing economic uncertainty. Council set a public hearing for May 6 and noted the budget will be reviewed line‑by‑line by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs before final adoption.
Why it matters: The introduced budget establishes city spending and revenue assumptions for 2026, affects property tax bills (Cruz and members noted an average $192 municipal increase for a home assessed around $700,000 driven largely by rising property values and some contract cost increases) and determines service levels for the year.
What’s next: DCA review, a public hearing on May 6, and a council adoption vote after DCA approves or requests adjustments.
