No Municipal Tax Hike for Morristown Residents in 2014

For the fourth straight year, Morristown homeowners won't see a rise in their municipal taxes.

The town's proposed budget – which has an overall spending of $35.9 million in 2014 – keeps the tax rate at the same level as last year. The tax levy (amount of revenue needed to be generated from taxes) comes in with a figure of $22,394,526, up $67,077 from 2013.

Working under the restrictions of a 2-percent tax levy cap, the budget is $166,411 below the cap, Mayor Tim Dougherty reported at the town council's April meeting. For each of the last three years, Morristown's municipal taxes have decreased.

The budget, which can be seen here, includes $5.9 million for the police department's operating budget – or 16-percent of the entire spending plan. The department of public works had the second-highest line item in the budget, accounting for $5.57 million, or 15-percent of the spending plan. 

A public hearing and final adoption of the budget is scheduled for May 13, 2014 at 7:30 p.m. at town hall.