Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Taxes will rise $57 for the average borough homeowner.
The Hillsdale Council voted 5-1 to approve an amended $12,569,669 budget during their meeting Tuesday night. The budget includes a 1.9 percent tax levy increase, which equates to a $57 increase for the average borough homeowner with a property assessed at $469,400. Some homeowners may see an even higher taxes if their home's assessed value increased after the recent revaluation, Councilman Larry Meyerson said. School taxes will also be increasing by a combined $228 for the average borough homeowner. Officials previously voted to amend the budget to move some items, which were originally to be paid for by borrowing, into the operating budget, but Councilmen Doug Frank and Frank Pizzella said they wanted to borrow even less than was planned…
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
The council is expected to formally present the amendment and vote on the budget at their May 7 meeting.
Hillsdale will likely borrow less than was originally planned for this year because of an amendment to the 2013 borough budget. The Hillsdale Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to introduce a budget amendment which includes moving about $55,000 worth of items into the operating budget which were originally slated to be paid for through borrowing. They still plan to pay for two vehicles and road repaving by borrowing, likely through bond anticipation notes, officials said. The proposed $12.56 million budget has already been approved by state officials, but borough officials could not yet vote on it because the amendment needed to be advertised first. The Council is expected to expected to hold a hearing for the amendment and vote on the budget at …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Two Democrats and two Republicans have filed to run for two open seats on the Hillsdale Council this year.
There are two seats on the Hillsdale Council up for election this year and four candidates — including two current council members from opposing parties — seeking the positions. Councilwoman Chris Looes, an incumbent, and Paul Muller will be running for the Democrats. Republicans Frank Pizzella, a current councilman, and John MacEwen, a former councilman, will also be seeking the three-year-term seats. Pizzella and MacEwen were both appointed to unexpired terms on the council last year, but lost in the November election. Pizzella was appointed again this year with support from all the Democrats on the council. Looes was one of four Democrats elected last November, but must run again to keep her position because the seat she won was a one-…
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A change to the introduced budget approved by the Hillsdale Council Wednesday means the borough will borrow slightly less money but the tax levy will increase slightly more than planned.
The Hillsdale Council voted to amend their proposed budget after some officials voiced concerns over the amount of money which was planned to be borrowed during a special hearing Wednesday. The council voted 4-2 to move a number of smaller capital items — worth about $55,000 together — into the operating budget and issue bond anticipation notes for $285,000 for the cost of two vehicles and the first year of a 20-year road resurfacing program. The money for the smaller items wil be taken from the budget line item used for tax appeals. Borough auditor Paul Lerch said that would still leave about $317,000 for appeals because of leftover funds from 2012, which he said should be more than enough. If the budget is approved as amended, it will …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Borough officials have introduced a $12.56 million budget.
The Hillsdale Council will hold a special meeting Wednesday night to present their proposed 2013 budget to the public. Residents will be able to ask questions and make comments at the meeting. Officials introduced the $12.56 million budget at their last meeting. The budget is lower than last year's $12.8 million budget, but would come with a 1.9 percent tax levy increase for a total levy of $8.8 million. The average borough homeowner, with a property assessed at $469,400 since the recent revaluation, would see a $57 increase under the proposed budget. The proposed budget can be viewed on the borough's website here. The special meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Municipal Building. Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim …
Monday, March 18, 2013
The Sustainable Jersey program provides grants to towns that adopt "green" policies.
Hillsdale officials decided at a recent council meeting that they would pursue a "silver" certification from Sustainable Jersey, a program which provides grants and other awards to towns that adopt "green" policies. The borough's Green Team previously achieved a bronze certification from the program, bringing in grants for items like new recycling bins and programs in the schools. Green Team Chair Meredith Kates said at a prior council meeting that the borough has 220 out of the needed 350 points to achieve the next level of certification. Sustainable Jersey sets different point values to various actions and policies towns can use that are environmentally friendly. The deadline is June 15. Councilman Frank Pizzella, the liason to the …
Saturday, March 16, 2013
PSE&G has proposed a $3.9 billion infrastructure upgrade which includes raising the Hillsdale substation to protect it from flooding.
The Hillsdale Council passed a resolution this week supporting PSE&G's proposed $3.9 billion infrastructure upgrade. The plan calls for upgrades to protect more than 40 utility installations, replacement of gas lines and installation of improved poles and underground power lines. The state Board of Public Utilities has not yet approved the plan. The Hillsdale substation, which was turned off during Hurricane Irene in 2011 because it flooded, has been included in PSE&G's plan. Before the vote this week, Council President Tom Kelley asked if the project would worsen flooding downstream, noting that the borough has made an effort to investigate United Water's plan to upgrade the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Dam for the same reason. Mayor Max …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The average homeowner could see an increase of $57 for municipal property taxes.
The Hillsdale Council introduced a tentative $12.56 million budget during their meeting Tuesday night. If approved, the budget includes a 1.9 percent tax levy increase, which would mean a $57 increase in taxes for the average borough home assessed at $469,400. The tentative local and regional school district budgets would raise taxes by an additional $226 for that same home. The county budget will also affect local taxes, but the amount was not immediately available. The proposed 2013 borough budget is actually a drop from last year's $12.8 million budget. Taxes will still increase because only $950,000 will be taken from the surplus, as opposed to $1.3 million last year. The total tax levy will increase from from about $8.6 million to …
The garden will be built in front of the Hillsdale train station.
A permanent memorial to Joan D'Alessandro, the 7-year-old Hillsdale girl who was murdered in 1973, will be built in front of the Hillsdale train station. Joan's mother, Rosemarie D'Alessandro, previously asked the borough Council if they could put the "white butterfly garden" in Veteran's Park. Officials said they were open to the idea, but Mayor Max Arnowitz said some vets he had spoken to were opposed to including it in the park. Since then, officials met with D'Alessandro and they agreed to the new location in front of the train station. "It's perfect," Council President Tom Kelley said. "It's right in the center of town." D'Alessandro previously said the memorial will include flowers, a bench and a butterfly sculpture with the goal of …
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
The borough Council voted to temporarily stop enforcing the law while a new planner looks over the ordinance.
Hillsdale business owners upset over the borough's latest sign ordinance will have a temporary reprieve from the law. The borough Council voted to stop enforcing the law for 30 days during their meeting Tuesday night. During that time, new borough planner Maser Consulting of Clifton — who officials voted to hire at the same meeting — will look over the ordinance to suggest possible changes. Hillsdale officials have had trouble enforcing the 16-page law since it was passed in October 2011. To date, the law has only been officially distributed to 36 of the more-than-300 businesses in the borough. Councilman Larry Meyerson said the process was moving like "molasses." Councilman Jason DeGise said he believed some language in the law should be…
Martin Ward
10:09 am on Wednesday, April 3, 2013
I hope there will be a candidates night, so residents can find out positions on important questions. more ›