Where tax money goes

There’s a cost to doing business and expenses connected to running a household. Likewise, there are bills incurred from providing municipal services to roughly 14,000 people.

Each meeting, the Middlesex Borough Council approves a lengthy list of payments to various vendors and government entities. Most recently, on Feb. 27, the council approved payments totaling millions of dollars.

It was a particularly expensive night, as the list included several expensive quarterly payments for sewage processing. That evening also included a first.

Mayor Jack Mikołajczyk, the council and staff included the check register with that meeting’s agenda packet, which was published online four days prior to the session.

The governing body has begun doing so at the request of Inside – Middlesex in the interest of greater financial transparency. The bill list is also posted online for the upcoming Tuesday, March 12 session.

Constituents have previously had the ability to view the check register/bill list, but had to file an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request to obtain it.

Anyone will now be able to see which vendor is being paid how much at a particular meeting, prior to that session. Constituents and other interested parties can then file an OPRA request if they want to see the specifics of a particular bill.

A meeting’s agenda packet, which includes the check register, can be accessed in the days prior to a meeting by visiting the municipal website’s home page, scrolling and clicking on the “Agendas & Minutes” link, then clicking on “Borough Council.” From there, choose “2021 to present year,” and locate the appropriate date.

A scan of the bill list informs constituents where their tax money goes and for what purposes. Here’s some of the items that were included on the Feb. 27 check register and approved for payment.

• Police headquarters power line upgrade and LED light fixtures for the DPW office: $5,000 total.
• Senior bus engine repair: $10, 612.
• Middlesex County Utilities Authority – first quarter 2024 estimated bill and remaining 2023 costs: $425,311.
• Middlesex County Improvement Authority – December 2023 recycling charge: $22,044.
• Middlesex County Utilities Authority – January 2024 dumping charge: $27,128.
• Piscataway Township – first quarter 2024 sewer charge for a portion of Middlesex borough not tied into the county system: $93,699.
• State of New Jersey – February 2024 employee health benefits: $155,275.
• State of New Jersey – February 2024 employee retirement fund: $122,218.
• Diesel fuel: $3,589.
• Environmental studies of the former Presbyterian Church property: $2,837.
• Somerset County emergency dispatch contract: $87,500.
• Basketballs for the Recreation Department: $1,200.
• Bond principal and interest: $792,625.

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