By Sunayana Prabhu
FREEHOLD – Monmouth County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone delivered the annual State of the County address March 12 to discuss the county’s accomplishments in 2023 and goals for 2024. The address was held at the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office and live-streamed on the county’s social media channels.
Beginning with the county’s financial successes, Arnone highlighted the reduced general tax levy and a steady AAA bond rating, confirming the county’s credit-worthiness. That bond rating allows municipalities to purchase and refinance from the pool program. Making the county’s 53 municipalities “affordable” has been the commissioners’ “biggest challenge,” Arnone said, citing “inflation and all the rising costs, the state mandates that come down to us that we have to try to completely mingle into a budget” as hurdles to affordability.
Tax Levy
Over the past 10 years Monmouth County has reduced its general tax levy each year, with a 29.7% decrease in the tax rate from 2023 to 2024. In 2024, the county tax rate was $27.52 per $100 of property valuation. In 2023, it fell to $19.41.
Arnone said the county’s AAA bond rating, along with its shared services program, has allowed municipalities to find additional funding from the county instead of going to the taxpayers to fund their budgets. “New Jersey’s little finance model relies heavily on property tax to fund school, municipal and county budgets,” Arnone said. “For every dollar in Monmouth County’s budget, property tax funds approximately 67 cents,” he said, compared to other counties that fund their budgets with property taxes “from 79 to 84 cents for every dollar.”
Tourism and Economic Growth
Arnone acknowledged the county’s economic development department along with the county commissioners for their efforts in ensuring the success of the county’s business development platforms, such as Grown In Monmouth and Made In Monmouth. The programs have helped promote the growth of local businesses by publicizing and marketing them.
Arnone also highlighted tourism as a “driving force” for the county’s economy. The county has created “beach safety models” that keep sea levels and beach traffic in check and the information is made available on the county website for beachgoers planning their visit.
The county anticipates sending a newsletter to every resident in May with updates on departmental activities to give a better understanding of county happenings.
County Infrastructure
Arnone emphasized the importance of maintaining consistent funding for infrastructure development, highlighting the county’s plan to resurface areas and prevent deterioration, while also utilizing grants. “We budget well over $6 billion out of our own coffers every year just to resurface areas in your towns,” Arnone said, addressing the gathering of local and county officials.
Arnone commended the county’s engineering department for securing state grants for some of the large projects.
Monmouth County has roughly 900 bridges. Bridges in the Two River area are some of the largest the “county has ever seen,” Arnone said. The Sea Bright-Rumson bridge cost $130 million but “did not cost anybody in this room,” he added, and the cost of the Oceanic Bridge between Middletown and Rumson, estimated at nearly $200 million, is “by far the largest Monmouth County will ever see.” The New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority will be funding the entire cost associated with the Oceanic Bridge.
Shared Services
Arnone applauded the shared EMS program led by Sheriff Shaun Golden for improving emergency response times, reducing an average to under 6 minutes. In February this year the county launched a shared EMS program with Oceanport, Tinton Falls, Eatontown and Ocean Township to support local EMS agencies facing an acute volunteer shortage. The county spent “roughly 4 to 5 million dollars” to cover the costs of new ambulances and medical equipment and hired more staff to get the program running. Since the launch of the program, the county’s emergency call center has answered over 500 calls.
The county is also working on a shared service agreement with Netflix at Fort Monmouth. The county will be taking over the development of roads to ensure a “major presence” in the entertainment hub. According to Arnone, the county is working with Netflix to develop County Road 537 with Netflix covering the cost of maintenance and upkeep.
The county has also engaged in a long-term lease agreement with Middletown Township that includes the construction of a solar plant on roughly 42 acres of the county-owned Belford Landfill site on Port Monmouth Road and a 1,200-space parking garage near the Belford Ferry Terminal at “no cost to the taxpayers.” The county expects to receive roughly $700,000 annually from the solar farm company. The entire project is part of Middletown’s Port Belford Redevelopment Plan.
The article originally appeared in the March 21 –March 27, 2024 print edition of The Two River Times.
