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Hackensack public hearing outlines drivers of proposed 2026 levy increase; BCUA rate hike and health benefits cited
Summary
At a May 5 public hearing on the 2026 municipal budget, officials cited a $900,000 Bergen County Utilities Authority rate increase, rising health benefits costs and prior pilot agreements as primary drivers of a 10.25% levy increase; council discussed budget practices and invited further public scrutiny.
Hackensack officials presented the city’s condensed 2026 budget report at a May 5 public hearing, citing sewage-treatment rate increases and rising health insurance costs among the main drivers of a proposed levy increase.
"Seven point one million of that 6.3 million are the health benefits," the recorded budget presentation stated, and officials added that a separate $900,000 increase from the Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA) reflects a treatment rate hike rather than higher usage. The presentation noted that municipal…
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