Piscataway introduces $98.7 million 2026 budget and establishes cap bank for hearing

The Piscataway Township Council introduced the municipal budget for calendar year 2026 on March 12, setting total general appropriations at $98,666,033.60. Finance staff presented key figures: appropriations within caps of $60,662,888.16; appropriations excluded from caps of $35,520,419.44; anticipated non-property-tax revenues of $41,622,702.70; and a tax levy requirement of $52,725,270.30. The minimum library tax was listed as $4,318,060.60.

Council members thanked the finance department for collaborative work on a tight budget and noted steps to account for storm recovery, rising health-insurance costs and higher fuel and heating expenses. The mayor and council said the township's cap bank balance is approximately $6.33 million and that establishing the cap bank is routine practice prior to budget introduction; the first-reading ordinance to exceed appropriation caps and create the cap bank was adopted on first reading and scheduled for public hearing and second reading on April 14, 2026.

Council voted to accept the introduction of the budget (roll call unanimous). Officials previewed capital investments and infrastructure projects supported by the budget, including sidewalk and road bids, the next phase of Patton Avenue work, comfort-station utility installation at Green Acres, and $2 million set aside for ecological park infrastructure. The council said state aid remained flat and identified the loss of a telephone-related tax as a revenue pressure; storm-related costs from the recent blizzard were estimated in the meeting at roughly $400,000 to $500,000.

The introduction starts the formal public hearing process; a final adoption vote is scheduled after the April 14 public hearing and any adjustments required by state budget rules.