No Vote On Howell Township Budget

The Howell Township Committee on Tuesday held a public hearing on its $45 million 2013 budget but postponed a vote until its next meeting, giving time for the state to certify the spending plan. 

State officials are about two weeks behind its planned schedule in certifying the budgets of municipalities throughout the state. The governing body could not ratify its budget without first getting the state’s blessing, officials said.

No member of the public commented on the budget at the lightly-attended, 50-minute session. The committee is scheduled to vote on the budget May 7. No further public comment is scheduled.

The township’s $44,879,291 budget is up $496,848, or 1.12 percent, from last year’s $44,382,443 spending plan. The budget is supported by a $25,300,000 tax levy, up $411,500 or 1.65 percent from last year’s $24,888,500 tax burden.

The 45.8-cent tax rate for 2013 is up .5 cents or 1.1 percent from last year’s 45.3-cent rate.

On a house assessed at $275,860 – the township average – this year’s municipal tax bill will be about $1,263.43, an increase of about $13.79 from last year’s bill.

The municipal tax bill is only one portion of the overall property tax bill, which includes school, county and fire district taxes, among others.