Oceanport Council Announces Zero Tax Increase for 2012

Councilman Joseph Irace seemed almost excited to announce at Tuesday's joint meeting between the council and board of education that there would be no increase in the borough's municipal tax rate in 2012.

"This is not a haphazard zero increase," Irace, who chairs the borough's finance committee, told the audience of about 25 people at . "This is part of a five-year plan."

The council will introduce the budget at its March 15 meeting and hold a public hearing on April 15 prior to adoption.

According to a presentation on the budget given by Borough Administrator Kim Jungfer, the borough has taken several steps to minimize tax increases:

• Discretionary spending in every borough department has been kept flat;
• Surplus money has been tapped into;
• Shared services have been increased.

Irace said that the borough's department of public works had come in under budget for two years in a row. The office of emergency management has also worked with residents to receive $150,000 in relief from FEMA for clean up costs after Hurricane Irene.

Mayor Michael Mahon said the borough's goal for the 2012 budget was to "come in as close to possible to zero" and not take any of the exemptions from the two-percent cap -- like increases in health insurance and pension costs.

"We hope this trend can continue for years to come," said Irace.