Sparta Town Council approves budget

The Sparta Township Council recently approved the township’s $29 million municipal budget, calling for a 2.9 percent increase from the previous year.

The township’s total anticipated revenue from local taxes for 2022 is $17,784,887.21, an increase of just 0.29 percent. The budget also allocates $1,168,104.17 for the library, a 7.43 percent increase from the previous year.

Taxpayers also will face a 2.23 percent increase on the Open Space Tax Levy, with the anticipated total at $342,170.

The township also is the tax collector for Sparta Township public schools. The school portion of the tax levy is $66,420,658.50 and the county levy is estimated at $18,515,166.

Sparta Township taxpayers saw their tax rate drop by 0.31 percent, from 0.583 percent per $100 of assessed value to 0.581 percent. The average Sparta Township home is assessed at $370,500. The average taxpayer is expected to see their tax bill decrease by $6.67.

Dean Blumetti, the chairman of the township’s Environmental Commission, citing a need to protect natural resources in the township, suggested building some money into the budget to provide environmental assessment services.

He also suggested setting aside $300,000 per year to use on open space and preservation.