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Pitman Council reviews 2025 budget that would raise average home taxes $110 annually
Summary
Council members reviewed the proposed 2025 municipal budget and list of capital requests; Councilman Mazzola said the plan would raise the average home tax by $110 per year and the body agreed to move forward with capital bonding and later develop a five-year plan.
The Borough of Pitman council reviewed the proposed 2025 municipal budget during its May 12 work session, with Councilman Mazzola saying the plan would create "an annual increase of $110.00 per year, or $27.52 per quarter, for the average home." The council discussed capital requests that accompany the budget and a removal of estimated tax bill costs from the proposal because of a scheduled adoption date.
Councilman Fitzpatrick pressed for detail on increases to the library budget, prompting discussion of the State's one-third mill minimum funding requirement, higher utility and maintenance costs now charged to the library, and salary adjustments to align library positions with other Borough employees. Borough CFO Bachich advised that bonding all capital items at once typically yields long-term savings by spreading payments across asset lifespans and can reduce interest costs, and noted that combining smaller BANs into a single bond often results in savings. Council members noted that Water and Sewer capital requests come from those self-funded accounts and would not affect the municipal tax rate.
Council reached consensus to proceed with the capital requests and Councilman Mazzola recommended that Council and department heads develop a formal five-year capital plan in 2026 to coordinate expenditures, debt scheduling, and projects such as vehicle replacements, road improvements, and lake dredging. The matter is scheduled for introduction at the regular meeting.
