Voters will be asked to approve the proposed 2025 operating budget of $1,317,200.
Patch Staff
SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — The annual election for South Brunswick Township Fire District No. 2, will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025, at the Monmouth Junction Fire Station, located at 573 Ridge Road in Monmouth Junction.
The fire district covers the Monmouth Junction, Dayton, and Deans sections of the township.
Voters will be asked to approve the proposed 2025 operating budget as well as to elect two commissioners to three-year terms.
The 2025 budget for Fire District No. 2 calls for total appropriations of $1,317,200, the same as the 2024 adopted budget.
The amount to be raised by taxation is $1,221,797, an increase of $70,086, or 6.1 percent from 2024. The proposed tax rate of $.047 per hundred of assessed value is $.002 per hundred higher than budgeted and realized in 2024.
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For a single-family home in South Brunswick assessed at the average value of $197,425, a taxpayer in Fire District #2 would pay around $92.79 a year for fire protection.
Residents can check their property tax bill from the Township to see exactly how much they pay for fire protection.
The fire tax is used to fund fire protection for the residents and businesses of the fire district. This includes the operation and maintenance of the fire stations and fire apparatus, as well as the purchase of firefighting equipment, supplies, and protective clothing for firefighters. Fire protection in Fire District #2 is provided by the Monmouth Junction Volunteer Fire Department and daytime career staff whose costs are shared with Fire District 1 and Fire District 3.
Using a predominantly volunteer firefighting force results in significant savings for taxpayers every year. In fact, the fire tax in Fire District #2 is the lowest in Middlesex County on an equalized basis and amongst the lowest in the entire state of New Jersey.
For the 2025 election, there are two Commissioner’s positions that are up for election, each for a three-year term. Incumbent Thomas A. Young, Jr. is running for re-election. Also on the ballot is Brian C. Spahr, who is running for his first term
South Brunswick Township is divided into three separate fire districts, each with their own elected five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. The Commissioners are responsible for providing fire protection to the residents and businesses of their respective districts. Since the creation of the fire districts in the township in 1978, the provision of fire protection has been funded through the levy of a fire tax on all property owners within the respective fire districts, which is paid as part of the township property tax (residents do not receive a separate bill).
Prior to the creation of the fire districts, funding for fire protection came through fundraisers run by the local volunteer fire departments, along with a small stipend provided by the town council.
The annual budget for the fire district is drafted by the members of the Board of Fire Commissioners and must be presented at a fire district meeting at least 60 days before the election. After its adoption, the budget is then submitted to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs - Division of Local Government Services (DCA DLGS) for review. Once approved by the DCA DLGS, the budget is then presented at a public hearing during a fire district meeting where residents are welcome to comment.
Following the public hearing, the budget must be formally adopted by the majority of the five-member Board of Fire Commissioners. Once adopted, the budget is sent back to the DCA DLGS for final review and comment. Once reviewed and approved by the DCA DLGS, the budget can then be placed on the ballot for approval/disapproval by voters.
Residents with questions regarding the fire district election or the proposed budget can visit the fire district’s website at www.sbfd2.com or call 732-329-0250.
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