No Tax Increase in Morris Budget, Up For Adoption Wednesday

The Morris County freeholders will hold a public hearing on the 2013 $311.1 million spending plan Wednesday evening.

The budget, which was introduced in February, is the first in 15 years without a tax increase, as the amount to be raised by taxation — $217.9 million — is stable from 2012. 

“This budget reflects the first zero percent tax increase in 15 years,” said Freeholder Hank Lyon, chairman of the Freeholder Budget Sub-committee, in a release. “It gives the families and taxpayers of Morris County the relief they deserve.”

The budget cuts expenses by more than $6 million and reduces spending by $2.3 million. 

Lyon said the 2013 budget continues to fund a wide variety of human and social service programs including mental health; substance abuse; emergency assistance; transportation; and aging, disabilities and veterans’ services.

The proposed budget also continues to fund public safety services of the Sheriff’s and Prosecutor’s offices, the Correctional Facility, the Office of Emergency Management, the Public Safety Training Academy, the Office of Health Management and its Hazardous Materials Response Team, as well as the county’s 911 Emergency Communication Center that provides emergency dispatch services for 23 municipalities and interoperable communications for all 39 towns in the county.

Funding for the County College of Morris, the School of Technology and the Morris County Park Commission remains at 2012 levels.

The public hearing will be held during the freeholders' regular meeting at 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Administration and Records Building on Court Street in Morristown.