The 2025 Plumsted Township Committee will not punish taxpayers for the runaway spending and unfunded contracts approved by the 2024 township committee. Then-committeeman Bob Bowen voiced the sole vote objecting to these increases as they were introduced last year.

According to the township CFO’s first-draft 2025 budget, that 2024 runaway spending would require a 12.13% 2025 municipal tax increase and use of $1 million of PILOT funds. As of the committee’s April 16 budget workshop, the municipal tax increase has been reduced to 3.93% with ongoing efforts to lower it and the use of PILOT funds further before budget approval.

Bob and Ted are committed to continuing the long-time practice of keeping property taxes as low as possible while weaning the township off of the ill-fated raiding of the PILOT principal, which started in 2024. Between 2014 and 2024, the township municipal tax rate increased by an average of 3.5% annually by keeping expenses down until 2024. With the election of Tom Potter and James Hagelstein to the 2025 committee, level heads will further prevail with Bowen-Garrigana as we budget into the future.

Refer to the question, Plumsted Township schools are not adequately funded. How can this issue be addressed? for information about the recent school district tax rate increase.