Mountainside adopts $10.6 million 2025 municipal budget; average home faces $176.82 municipal increase

The Borough of Mountainside on May 20 adopted its 2025 municipal budget, approving $10,596,031.07 in appropriations and recording a net appropriations increase of $678,898.47.

The presiding official said the budget reflects several cost drivers, including a $115,000 increase in police salaries, an $84,005.10 increase in A&E salaries, $122,000 in higher operating budgets across departments, a $114,842 rise in police pension obligations and a $90,000 boost to the capital improvement fund. Revenues rose by $59,589.55, producing a net budget increase of $619,308.92.

Council opened the required public hearing and received no comments before moving to adopt the budget by resolution. The council recorded roll-call votes in the affirmative and adopted Resolution 62-2025 to formalize the appropriation.

Renee introduced Ordinance 13-41 (second reading), which limits annual increases in final budget appropriations to 2.5 percent unless an ordinance authorizes up to 3.5 percent, and allows the borough to ‘bank’ (retain) differences not appropriated as an exception for the next two years. The ordinance identifies $110,834.64 as an amount that may be retained as an exception to the final appropriations.

Steve presented Resolution 63-2025 setting the borough’s entire estimated tax levy for 2025 at $40,445,345.06 and authorizing the tax collector to prepare estimated tax bills for the third quarter. The council approved the resolution by recorded vote.

The presiding official said the municipal portion of taxes on an average assessed house would increase by $176.82 next year. The council voted to move the budget forward for adoption during the same meeting.

Next steps: the council adopted the resolution that constitutes the formal budget appropriation. Any additional ordinance actions (such as final readings of related ordinances) will occur under the borough’s published schedule.