Demolition Of Derelict Homes Still Underway Town Budget Will Cause $150 Average Tax Increase

By Stephanie Faughnan

HOWELL

– Property owners should anticipate a $150 tax increase on the municipal portion of their taxes according to the budget that will be voted on May 9. However, this increase is only a portion of the total tax bill.

The average annual tax bill is estimated to rise by $400, including taxes from the Howell and Freehold Regional High School districts, Monmouth County, fi re districts, and open space. The local school district collects the most significant proportion of taxes, with nearly 46 percent of the total.

Officials said the proposed municipal tax rate for 2023 is $0.336 per $100 of assessed property and that the average household assessment in Howell is $488,979.

The budget adopted in 2022 totaled $55,562,000, while 2023’s proposed budget is $59,148,000. The $3,586,000 difference represents a 6.45 percent change.

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Mark Bator HOWELL - More than a year after its discussion before the Township Council, Howell’s demolition program is still identifying prop- erties that can be added to the registry of buildings targeted for removal.

At that time, Howell Township Director of Land Use, Matt How- ard, provided a narrative history on the program and its operation, which was lauded by the then-council members. Howard’s presentation was so well received that former Councilman John Bonevich proposed tripling the program’s budget on the spot. The program, which

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