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Orange Township council adopts mostly flat $91.9M 2026 budget; tax levy rises 4.9%
Summary
The City of Orange Township council adopted the 2026 municipal budget totaling $91.9 million, a roughly $200,000 increase from 2025 and labeled a "flat spending plan" by the budget consultant; the tax levy will rise by about $3.3 million (4.9%). No members of the public spoke during the hearing.
The City of Orange Township council on Monday adopted the calendar-year 2026 municipal budget, approving a $91,900,000 spending plan that officials called essentially flat while raising the tax levy by about 4.9%.
Assistant budget consultant Blair Landolfi told the council the proposed budget totals $91.9 million, up roughly $200,000 from the 2025 adopted budget of $91.7 million. "This proposed budget is essentially a flat spending plan," Landolfi said, and she linked the tax increase to the loss of a legislative grant: "So the tax increase is completely driven by lack of revenue and loss of revenue, which is driven from the loss of the legislative grant of $2,000,000 from last year to this year." Landolfi also said budgeted salary and wages decreased by $2.7 million while health-benefit costs rose by a similar amount.
Before the council voted, a staff member read Resolution 353-2026 by title and recited the statutory conditions under NJSA 40A:4-8 that permit reading the budget by title when a full copy has been made available in advance. The council adopted that procedural resolution by roll call before opening the public hearing.
No members of the public signed up to speak during the hearing. The council moved to close the public-comment portion after the assistant budget consultant’s presentation; the motion was seconded and carried.
The council then voted to adopt the municipal budget. The final tally recorded in the meeting was five yeas, one abstention and one absence; the public record in the transcript does not specify which member registered the abstention. Council members who participated in the meeting included Coley, Eason, Hilbert, Vice President Montague III, Ross and Summers Johnson; Council President Wooten was absent.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn at 7:15 p.m.; the clerk announced the council would next meet on Wednesday, July 1 at noon at the community center.
What’s next: The adopted budget is now on the municipal record; any further adjustments or related actions would appear on future council agendas. The council was advised in the hearing that the state had approved the budget for council consideration prior to the vote, per the assistant budget consultant’s statement.
