Margate facing municipal tax rate increase of 3.4 cents

By SUZANNE MARINO
Staff Writer
MARGATE -- Margate City Commission introduced its 2006 budget last week calling for a municipal tax rate increase of 3.4 cents per $100 of assessed property value.
The $17,526,630 spending plan represents an increase of $1,328,982 or 8.2 percent over last year.
The proposed budget would increase the tax rate to 53 cents per $100 of assessed property value. Couple that with the school tax rate of 35 cents per $100 of assessed value and the Atlantic County rate of 30 cents per $100, and Margate homeowners can expect to pay $1.18 per $100 of assessed property value for 2006.
The biggest chunk of the increase is nearly $460,000 more in salaries and wages. Roughly $430,000 is allocated for municipal debt service and $535,170 is required for the reserve for uncollected taxes. Tom Hiltner, the city administrator, said that the collection rate for Margate taxes is more than 98 percent.
The higher spending was partly offset by a $652,000 savings in health insurance costs this year over last. That number includes employees who opted out of coverage.
There are about 150 people employed by the city, including lifeguards, police and fire personnel. Only full-time employees are entitled to a full benefits package that includes health, dental and a prescription plan. Members of the governing body are also entitled to benefits.
A public hearing on the Margate City budget is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4.
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