Officials have introduced a $60.4 million municipal budget with no increase in property taxes at a Township Council meeting March 4.
The municipal property rate will remain flat at 65 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a house assessed at the township average of $287,570 will pay $1,874.96 in municipal property taxes.
A public hearing on the 2025 municipal budget is set for April 1.
A property owner’s tax bill includes the municipal property and open space taxes, plus the school district property tax and the Mercer County property and open space taxes.
The budget includes hiring three additional firefighters, three additional police officers and 11 in-house emergency 9-1-1 dispatchers. They will replace iXP, which had provided dispatch services – but at no additional cost over 2024.
A potential new staff member may be hired for the Lawrence Township Municipal Clerk’s Office.
Municipal Manager Kevin Nerwinski said the township continues to enjoy a favorable financial situation that allows the town to provide for – and improve upon – the essential services that the community deserves and expects from its local government.
“In short, we continue to reduce our debt, increase our surplus, add personnel to improve public safety, maintain a forward-thinking pro-active capital improvement plan, and deliver a budget with no increase in our municipal tax rate for a second consecutive year,” Nerwinski said.
The main source of revenue to support the budget is property taxes. The amount to be raised by taxes is $31 million, which is an increase of $214,461 over the 2024 municipal property tax levy.
The increase in the amount to be raised by taxes is offset by the growth in the value of taxable properties in the township.
Lawrence Township’s tax base is made up of all taxable properties – residential, commercial and industrial. Its value is $4.7 billion for 2025, or $32.9 million more than the total tax base in 2024.
The township also anticipates raising $18.9 million in miscellaneous revenue. It includes revenues from licenses, fees and permits; the hotel and motel tax; and cable TV franchise fees.
Lawrence Township expects to generate $43,000 in alcoholic beverage licenses and $70,300 in fees and permits.
The hotel and motel tax is anticipated to generate $275,000, and the cable TV franchise fees are expected to be $299,000. A 2% local retail tax on cannabis dispensaries will generate $600,000.
The town expects to receive $4 million in state aid.
The budget also anticipates using $9.3 million in surplus funds as a source of revenue. The township had $22 million on hand in surplus funds as of Dec. 31, 2024.
On the spending side, the main cost drivers are the capital improvement fund; salary and wages; employee group health insurance; the contribution to the Mercer County Improvement Authority; and an increase in funding for the three volunteer fire companies.
The budget has earmarked $8.2 million for the Lawrence Township Police Department and $1 million for Lawrence Township fire services, which includes paid firefighters who work daytime during the week.
Also, $1 million has been budgeted for the Lawrence Township Emergency Medical Services.
The budget sets aside $3.8 million for the Department of Public Works, which is made up of the Streets and Roads Division, the Building and Grounds Division and the Park Maintenance Division.
Contributions to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) is pegged at $1.2 million, and $2.1 million for the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS).
