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Hasbrouck Heights council adopts 2025 budget, cites major cost increases outside borough control
Summary
The Hasbrouck Heights Borough Council adopted a $24.999 million 2025 budget that raises the municipal levy by $1,022,583, driven largely by rising health insurance, pension and liability costs the borough says are outside its control.
Hasbrouck Heights officials adopted the borough's 2025 municipal budget Tuesday, approving a $24,999,098.70 spending plan and an $18,822,379.27 municipal tax levy after a presentation from Chief Financial Officer David Sireci.
Sireci told the council the budget faces $1,047,136 in increases that the borough cannot control, including a $666,304 (24%) jump in health benefit costs, a $99,000 (21%) increase in liability insurance, $38,960 more for solid-waste dumping fees and higher sewer-processing and pension expenses. He said those items account for about 96% of the proposed municipal tax increase and translate to roughly $244 on the average household.
The presentation said the average municipal-plus-library bill for a home assessed at $520,629 will be $4,519 in 2025. Sireci noted the borough did not use additional American Rescue Plan funds in this budget and pointed to limited state aid and prior-year revenue impacts from the COVID-19 era as constraints on local options.
Councilman Joseph Samperi moved to adopt Resolution No. 109 (the budget), Councilman Christopher Blum seconded, and the motion carried unanimously. The resolution and supporting sheets were read and certified by Acting Borough Clerk Anne Michelle Sery, who recorded total appropriations of $24,999,098.70 and a minimum library tax of $850,712.13.
The budget document, prepared by Sireci, lists conservative capital planning and the hiring of three additional patrol officers funded after retirements, and emphasizes the borough's intent not to reduce municipal services or staffing levels. The council previously approved routine consent items supporting budget implementation, including contract awards and grant applications.
The council did not receive public comment during the budget public hearing; the adoption follows the statutory public-notice procedures cited in the Open Public Meetings Act (Chapter 231, P.L. 1975) and related N.J.S.A. provisions. The ordinance to repeal and replace Chapter 142 (flood damage prevention) was introduced separately and set for public hearing on June 17.
Next steps: the borough clerk certified the adopted budget and related resolutions for record; any implementation details tied to capital projects and hiring will follow normal administrative procedures.
