East Orange, NJ, April 26, 2021: Mayor Ted R. Green delivered his proposed budget of $152.7 million for Fiscal Year 2021 to the East Orange City Council, which includes a zero percent tax increase. This will be the first time there has not been a municipal tax increase in well over a decade.
Mayor Green said that achieving his goal to stabilize taxes is the result of strategic planning and fiscal responsibility during the past three years of his administration. Since 2018, tax increases have steadily gone down. In 2018, there was a 1.5% increase, in 2019, 1.2%, and in 2020, taxes only went up .44%.
“We understand that this is a difficult time and we wanted to make sure that we do not add to the financial burden our residents already have on their shoulders. This proposed budget reflects what happens when we make sound financial decisions and work toward a common goal of ensuring all residents receive top quality city services,” said Mayor Green. “I am looking forward to leading us through 2021 together and coming out stronger than before.”
Building upon his administration’s agenda for progress, Mayor Green will continue to focus on increasing property values, keeping the city clean, enhancing public safety, fixing streets, investing in city youth, providing high quality affordable housing and redevelopment, and committing to health education and awareness.
Highlights of the FY 2021 Budget:
- Construction and investment in East Orange is at an all-time high of $1.4 billion dollars in redevelopment with approximately 4,000 residential units and nearly 20% set aside as affordable.
- The city’s flagship project is the $400 million dollar Crossings at Brick Church, which will feature quality retail spaces like Burlington Coat Factory, a larger renovated Shop Rite, 820 units of housing, a 7-story parking garage, and new sit-down restaurants.
- $1 million dollar streetscape project to renovate and revitalize the lower part of Main Street in our Arts and Cultural District.
- A new firefighter class of 15 is planned this summer.
- Fourteen (14) new police recruits were added to the police force with a new class planned in the spring.
- In 2020, overall crime decreased an additional 6%, maintaining its lowest crime rate since 1967.
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