NO New Taxes for Cherry Hill!

Mayor Susan Bass Levin announced on August 7, 2001, that for the 12th year in a row, there will be no municipal tax increase for Cherry Hill residents. This is an unprecedented achievement for one of the largest suburban municipalities in New Jersey.

“We always strive for balance when creating a budget,” Mayor Levin said. “We want residents to have the best available programs and services, while getting the most value for their tax dollars.”

The cost of operating the municipal government represents a fraction of your total taxes. For less than 9 percent of each tax dollar, Cherry Hill Township provides police, ambulance, trash collection, recycling, snow and leaf removal, parks, recreation programs, the Township library and maintenance of Township roads. The remaining portion of your tax bill goes to Camden County Board of Freeholders (26.31 %), the Cherry Hill Board of Education (58.80 %) and the Cherry Hill Fire District (6.10 %).

The 2001-2002 budget establishes a municipal tax rate of 28.6 cents per $100 of assessed value, the same as last year`s municipal tax rate. This means the average taxpayer with a house assessed at a value of $140,000 pays $399 in municipal taxes. Cherry Hill`s total budget for 2001-2002 is $38,831,930. The budget is a result of efficient management, stringent financial control, an aggressive tax collection program and a “smart growth” approach to planning.

The Township`s strong financial planning allows continued community improvements to take place to meet the needs and concerns of Cherry Hill residents.

This focus on community building can be seen in many projects in the 2001-2002 Capital Improvement Program, a comprehensive program that supports the health and safety initiatives of the Township and improves the quality of life of our residents. This year`s program includes a new ambulance, improving 103 Township roads, adding handicapped accessible ramps, upgrading police and emergency systems, as well as implementing storm drainage, stream stabilization and erosion control projects throughout the Township. A new state-of-the-art municipal library is also proposed, to provide residents with the best in modern library resources and information technology.

The Capital Improvement Program will also provide landscaping throughout the park system and new play equipment at Erlton School Park, Kenilworth Park, Old Woodcrest Park and Singleton Park. In addition, walkways will be installed at Old Orchard Park and the DeCou Sports Complex.

Also included this year in tennis court upgrades is a total resurfacing at Johnson School, substantial repairs at Erlton and Beck Roller Hockey Courts, court upgrades at Kenilworth, Staffordshire, Lummis, Old Woodcrest and Lions Den.

Cherry Hill has made a commitment to green acres and open space by developing a Township Open Space Trust Fund. In keeping with the Township`s land conservation goals, funding was incorporated for open space acquisition.

Of the 37 municipalities in Camden County, Cherry Hill has the second lowest tax rate. The Township offers residents a great quality of life and a full array of municipal services—all without a tax increase in a dozen years.

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Author: Susan Bass Levin The Cherry Hill Connection