Budget & Financial Documents

Hazlet Township Approves 2022 Municipal Budget with Flat Tax Rate
August 2, 2022

The Hazlet Township Committee has approved a 2022 municipal budget that calls for no increase in the tax rate for the third year in a row. 

The governing body presented its $24.5 million budget on June 28. A public hearing and vote on the proposed budget was held August 2, and the budget was unanimously approved by the four members present that evening.

“We are doing what we have to do,” said Mayor Michael Sachs before the meeting. “We understand the impact of inflation on our residents, and this is how we are able to help out, by keeping our tax rate stable.”

The proposed municipal tax rate is 56.3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. The owner of the average home assessed at $382,109 would pay $2,150 in municipal taxes in 2022. Municipal taxes are only one part of the total property tax bill; other taxing entities include the Hazlet School District and Monmouth County. 

The proposed 2022 spending plan is supported by the collection of $16.6 million in taxes from Hazlet’s residential and commercial property owners. Other revenue includes $1.9 million in state aid and $2.6 million from the township’s surplus.

Hazlet’s 2021 budget totaled $21.5 million and was supported by the collection of $15.2 million in property taxes. Other revenue included $1.9 million in state aid and $1.2 million in surplus.

“The biggest impact to the budget was the increase in capital contributions and bond payments, by over $2 million, to pay for our road program and other capital improvements,” said Deputy Mayor Mike Glackin. “We were able to lock in low rates for long term bonds to improve our streets. This long-term road program has been the largest ongoing capital improvement program, perhaps in Hazlet history.”

To further enhance security for Hazlet’s school system, the township budget fulfilled a request from the Board of Education to fund two additional Special Law Enforcement Officers (SLEOs). 

In 2022, Hazlet’s municipal budget accounts for 23% of a property owner’s total tax bill; school taxes represent 63%; Monmouth County taxes account for 11%; Hazlet Fire District, 3% and the municipal open space tax, 0.4%. 

Appropriations in the 2022 municipal budget include: salaries and wages, $8.8 million; other expenses, $8.5 million; statutory and deferred charges, $2.5 million; reserve for uncollected taxes, $1.1 million; and debt service, $1.8 million.