Berkeley Mayor Amato, Township Hard Work, Dedication Pays off With $12 Million in Grants to Offset Local Property Taxes

Shore News Network

Berkeley Township– In the last eight years, Berkeley Township has earned nearly $12 million in federal, state and county grants, helping to keep the town’s municipal property tax rate the 2nd lowest in Ocean County and one of the lowest overall in the entire State of New Jersey according to NJ Advance Media.

Addressing everything from bullet proof vests and body cameras for police, road repair, DWI enforcement, recycling, Sandy recovery, tourism and the environment, Berkeley Township has received $11,807,480.77 in grants according to township records provided by Chief Financial Officer Fredrick Ebenau.

Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato.

“We are extremely pleased to have won nearly $12 million dollars in grant funding for Berkeley Township and our taxpayers,” said Mayor Amato. “This did not happen by accident. This level of grant funding is due to the great work of our Township Council, employees and professionals, who have aggressively pursued every available funding source to ensure we keep the tax burden on residents as low as possible.”

Mayor Amato said the results are clear, and that the town has never been on a more fiscally sound footing.


“We held the line on municipal taxes again this year and our bond ratings increased from “A+” to an “AA-” – with Standard & Poor’s citing our strong budgetary performance, flexibility and very strong liquidity.” Mayor Amato Said. “If the Democrats in charge of Trenton ran the state like Mayor Amato runs Berkeley Township, New Jersey wouldn’t be enduring some of the highest taxes in the country and the nation’s worst out-migration rates.”

Mayor Amato added that this year’s Township Budget was over $5 million under the state-mandated budget tax levy cap and more than $3.1 million below the spending levy cap.

The township has received no increase in funding from the state since 2011.

“Towns and School Districts are punished by Trenton for being fiscally responsible, That’s why New Jersey is in such difficult shape. The Trenton politicians routinely punish success and reward failure when it comes to a town’s finances,” Amato said.

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