June 24, 2025 - BLOOMFIELD, NJ - The Township of Bloomfield introduced its 2025 Municipal Budget at the June 23rd Town Council Meeting, with a continued commitment to supporting families, keeping the community affordable, and preserving the core services that residents depend on every day.
“Bloomfield is a town of working families, seniors, and young professionals who value safe neighborhoods, clean streets, reliable services, and strong community programs,” said Mayor Jenny Mundell. “Our budget reflects those values. We’ve worked hard to find efficiencies, control costs, and limit the financial impact on residents, while making sure essential services remain strong.”
The 2025 budget was shaped by a focus on what matters most to residents - public safety, infrastructure, recreation, senior services, trash collection, snow removal, public health, and every day municipal operations that allow the Township to run smoothly and reliably. Even in the face of economic pressures, Bloomfield continues to invest in these core services, recognizing their direct impact on quality of life for families throughout the Township.
This year’s budget reflects a 4.52% increase in the municipal portion of the property tax bill, which equates to approximately $205 per year, or $17.08 per month for the average household. This brings the annual municipal portion to about $4,753 per household. It is important to note that the municipal government controls just 37.77% of the total property tax bill, with the remainder allocated largely to county and school taxes.
In crafting the 2025 budget, the Township took deliberate steps to reduce operating expenses by $2.6 million since last year. This achievement was made possible through several strategic cost-cutting measures. The Township reorganized operations within the Department of Public Works to streamline staffing, eliminated redundant expenses across departments, and required all departments to reduce operating budgets by 10%. Salary and wage costs were lowered through attrition rather than layoffs. Bloomfield also ended certain shared service contracts in the Board of Health, which were not deemed to be financially beneficial to the township, restructured project management to bring more work in-house rather than relying on outside consultants, and leveraged technology to improve efficiency and reduce long-term costs.
Despite these reductions, unavoidable cost increases still impacted the budget, particularly in areas such as healthcare benefits, liability insurance, sewer treatment fees, and mandatory pension contributions set by the state.
“These are challenges every town faces, but we were determined to respond with a budget that puts our families and community first,” said Mayor Mundell. “We know affordability is a concern, and our approach reflects both compassion and smart financial planning.”
Residents’ tax dollars continue to provide real value in return. Every dollar supports a network of public services that directly enhance daily life in Bloomfield. From keeping neighborhoods safe with police and fire services, to maintaining roads, improving parks and facilities, offering recreation for youth and adults, supporting senior citizens, and ensuring clean and healthy living conditions - these services form the backbone of a thriving community.
The 2025 Budget Synopsis and Budget Presentation Materials are now available to the public online at: https://tinyurl.com/Bloomfield-NJ-Budget-and-DOCS, and will be published in the Independent Press by July 3rd, 2025. Residents are encouraged to participate in the Public Hearing scheduled for Monday, July 21 at 6:30 PM (new date). This is an opportunity for the public to ask questions, provide feedback, and engage directly with Township leadership.