Berkeley mayor amato, township hard work, dedication pays off with $12 million in grants to offset local property taxes

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

Posted by
1 min read
July 22, 2019

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 mayor amato, township hard work, dedication pays off with $12 million in grants to offset local property taxes
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.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss