Chatham Township Committee Introduces 2023 Budget with No Municipal Tax Increase and Reduced Open Space Tax Rate

Chatham Township, NJ - The Township of Chatham announced the introduction of its 2023 budget, which received bipartisan support at the Township Committee meeting on April 25, 2023. The budget maintains the municipal purposes tax rate at 0.321 per $100 of assessed value, ensuring no tax increase on the municipal level. Additionally, the budget includes a reduced Open Space Tax Rate of 1.5%, down from the previous rate of 2%, resulting in a combined lower tax rate for residents compared to last year.

Mayor Ashley Felice praised the budget, stating, "This budget demonstrates my commitment to fiscal responsibility, providing high-quality services to residents, and investing in the future of the community. I would like to express my gratitude to the Committee members for their bipartisan collaboration in developing a budget that serves the needs of all Chatham residents."

The budget employs the fund balance, or surplus, in accordance with best practices and policies, resulting in a healthier surplus than in previous years. This achievement comes despite the increased costs of running the government in New Jersey while maintaining the same service levels as last year and continuing to make essential capital investments.

Only about 17% of every dollar paid by taxpayers is used to fund Township services, such as police protection, storm clean up, snow removal, road maintenance, parks maintenance, and recreation services, among others. The remaining 83% is collected for independently set County, School, and Library taxes.

Prior to the budget's introduction, Township Administrator Ziad Andrew Shehady made a public presentation explaining the budget process, appropriations and revenues, and the impact on taxpayers. The full meeting and presentation were broadcast live and recorded for viewing on YouTube. The budget adoption and final public hearing are scheduled for Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. The Township of Chatham's 2023 budget, as introduced, is available on the Township website.

For more information about the budget, please contact Chatham Township Administrator Ziad Shehady at administrator@chathamtownship.org