Town Budget To Have No Tax Rate Increase

By Judy Smestad-Nunn

BRICK - Mayor Lisa

Crate introduced her first municipal budget since becoming mayor last month.

During the March 28 Council Meeting, the mayor said the “fiscally responsible”

$115,739,974 spend - ing plan calls for no increase in the tax rate of the township’s portion and still provides the funds for all municipal services.

The budget shows an increase of about 3.4 percent over last year’s budget.

“This does not speak to any increases in the portions of your property taxes controlled by Brick Township public schools, the Ocean County government or your local fire district,” she said.

The township portion is roughly 30 percent of the property tax bill.

The spending plan

School District Introduces $161.1M Tentative Budget

continues to move the township forward, the mayor said, and she considers the proposed budget to be “a statement of the values and a blueprint of what this administration wants Brick Township to be and how we get there.”

(Tax - See Page 20)

By Alyssa Riccardi BRICK – The

Brick Township Board of Education has approved a tentative budget of $161.1 million for the 2023-24 school year.

According to the recent board agenda, the tentative budget is $161,141,287, including debt service, and

$120,466,734 is to be raised by property taxes. The overall number includes the general fund, special revenues, and debt service.

The district’s general fund, which aids the majority of the district and its operation, is $147,075,262 with a tax levy of $120,332,599.

Brick was one of many districts suffering under S-2, a law that lowered state aid for some districts and sent it elsewhere. Despite the bill hurting state aid funding for Brick Schools, the overall tax levy increase is only 1.77% since the (School - See Page 8)