Brick Property Taxes to Rise Slightly Under Proposed 2025 Spending Plan

Brick Municipal Building / Photo: Daniel Nee

Brick residents will see a small increase on the municipal portion of their annual property tax bill in 2025 under a budget proposed this week by Mayor Lisa Crate, but the township’s debt continues to be reduced in continuation of a program that has reduced it by tens of millions of dollars over more than a decade.

Crate presented the spending plan at a meeting of the township council this week. The budget will now be reviewed by the township council, which could make modifications or accept the budget as introduced, before voting to adopt it next month. The budget will also be subject to a public hearing.

The plan calls for a $122,711,490 operating budget, up from $117,737,525 last year. The budget would be supported by a $86,061,664 property tax levy, up from $84,862,406 last year. The rate will rise by 1.9 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation, which translates to an increase of $47 per year for the owner of a home assessed at the township’s average.

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“This budget reflects months of dedication from our township’s financial team, and builds upon our ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility,” Crate said, calling Brick one of the “most efficiently managed and fiscally-conservative municipalities in Ocean County.”

The 2025 budget, Crate said, continues a steady debt reduction plan first introduced by former Mayor John Ducey in 2014, which successfully cut the overall debt load by $41 million while continuing to fund capital programs such as road paving, replacing aging vehicles and facilities improvements, such as the new Senior Center and repairs to buildings, piers, bulkheads and other infrastructure.

“Both this administration and the council remain deeply mindful of the impact of every dollar on our residents,” said Crate.

The 2025 budget will maintain current police and EMS staffing levels, replace employees who have retired, and continue popular recreation programs such as Summerfest.

“Simply put, this budget sustains every service that enhances the quality of life for Brick Township residents,” the mayor said.

The township has released a full copy of the 89-page budget to the public. Shorebeat is planning a more in-depth look at the spending plan in a later story after reviewing the document.