Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Collingswood introduces 2025 budget with police, firefighter pay increases; average homeowner sees $70 rise
Summary
Collingswood’s mayor introduced the 2025 municipal budget, saying negotiated raises to police and firefighter pay will increase municipal compensation by about $1.2–1.3 million total and raise the average homeowner’s tax bill roughly $70; officials said the public hearing will be scheduled after state review.
The Collingswood Borough Commission on Jan. 10 introduced its 2025 municipal budget, the mayor said, citing post‑pandemic staffing shortages that required negotiated raises for police and firefighters.
"Our police compensation packages will increase this year by a million dollars," the mayor said, adding that firefighter compensation increases will total "200, 300,000." He told the commission the combined personnel changes and other adjustments result in an average homeowner tax increase of about $70 annually. The budget was introduced for public review; a formal hearing will be scheduled after state review and approvals.
The mayor framed the pay increases as a response to a tighter labor market and to retention challenges: municipalities have seen fewer applicants for sworn positions since the pandemic, he said. He described the bargaining process as cooperative and credited municipal staff and bargaining units for reaching agreements that aim to make the town more competitive in recruiting.
Cassandra, identified in the meeting as the borough finance chief, was credited by the mayor for her work on budget preparations. Councilors said they trimmed other line items — including shelving a proposed private grant‑writer — to limit the net impact on homeowners while covering the increased personnel costs.
Residents raised questions during public comment about whether the borough could use its "cap bank" to transfer additional property tax revenue to the school district. The mayor said banking the cap allows the borough to raise taxes up to the allowable maximum and then transfer the additional revenue to schools but cautioned that using municipal funds for ongoing operating expenses can complicate future budgets and affect state aid calculations. He and councilors emphasized a preference for capital funding for shared projects and said they plan to meet with the school board to discuss options.
Next steps: the commission will set a public hearing date once the state completes its review and confirms the borough may proceed with local self‑examination for the 2025 budget.
