Ridgewood Budget Proposes Flat Tax Rate

Ridgewood Village officials have proposed a $46.4 million budget that, if passed, would call for a flat tax rate for the second year in a row, NorthJersey.com reported.

According to the report, the current budget is subject to change as officials continue to meet with department heads. A special budget meeting will be held Monday, and the council is expected to officially introduce the budget on April 23.

The 0% tax increase would put the average municipal tax bill at $3,959, for the average assessed home in Ridgewood worth $688,000, the report said.

Despite the proposed flat rate, officials said there were several big costs in the budget this year, including increased debt services costs, contractual salary boosts, a rise in healthcare costs, new police cars, and money to cover staffing needs on the Board of Adjustment and in the IT department, the report said.

Officials called for changes next year to governmental structures and practices that they said would be necessary to maintain 0% tax increases in the future, the report said.