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Park Ridge introduces 2026 municipal budget; council says insurance and county utility fees drive increases
Summary
The Park Ridge Borough Council introduced its 2026 municipal budget and scheduled a public hearing for May 12, 2026; council members said mandated insurance and county utility fee increases are the main drivers of the overall rise in spending.
Park Ridge Mayor Keith J. Mishag introduced the borough's 2026 municipal budget and directed the clerk to publish the statement of revenues and appropriations; the council set a public hearing for the budget on May 12, 2026 at Borough Hall at 8 p.m.
The budget introduction prompted a discussion about cost drivers. A council member on the finance review said the net budget increase is about $611,000 and that "the insurance alone was $330,000," adding that those insurance costs are set at the state level and are largely outside borough control. Council members also pointed to a nearly $100,000 rise in county-controlled fees assessed by the Bergen County Utilities Authority (BCUA) as another significant pressure on the budget.
"We're doing the best we can to limit what the residents are going to have to ante up," Mayor Mishag said, noting the borough has identified non-tax revenue sources and other offsets that reduce the tax impact. Council members emphasized that while officials can manage in-house costs, some increases — particularly for insurance and county-assessed utility fees — are set externally.
The council voted to introduce the budget; the motion carried. The public hearing on the 2026 budget will allow residents to comment before the council considers final adoption on a later date.
What happens next: The budget will be published in the Bergen Record as required; the hearing is scheduled for May 12, 2026 at 8 p.m. at Borough Hall.
