WEST MILFORD Wednesday night 207 days into at 8:53 p.m. to be precise, the town council finally adopted this year’s municipal budget. After months of discussion and debate, the end result is an increase in taxes of about $100 a year (based on an assessed property value of $130,000). With less than half the year remaining, the consensus from the township council was also that budget preparations for 2007 start almost immediately. On top of the need for speed, many council members perceive an even more difficult process next year. “We’re looking at, at least, a $200 increase next year,” said Councilman Bob Nolan. This is pending similar strategies that took place this year, according to Nolan. In order to hold the increase in the levy to a relatively tame $100, the council had to use $700,000 from its surplus funds, money that will unlikely be replaced anytime soon. At the sharpest edge of this year’s budget, however, is Linda Lutz. As the township’s principal planner, Lutz, will be laid off from her position after 18 years of service in order to save approximately $43,000 from expenditure. While Lutz is the sole departure planned for this year it may be that she is a sign of what is to come. Nolan pinpointed the annual staff salaries and benefits as the principal expense the town can no longer afford. By Nolan’s estimate, 11 percent of the total budget will be spent on wages and employee benefits, and this will increase to at least 15 percent next year. After citing grounds for further cuts in employee expenditure, Nolan said, “I think, though, that the council did work hard on this budget; I will reluctantly vote for it.” Phil Weisbecker, who was returning to his position on the dais, following the recent death of his father, said, “We’re doing the best we can with what little we have.” Weisbecker continued, “I agree that the council has worked hard. Also, we should get started on the 2007 budget in September and maybe we should give thought again to a finance committee.” Councilman James Warden didn’t go along with majority. “We took $700,000 surplus to pay for things we can’t afford. We did the same things this year that we did last year and we are going to be in the same situation next year,” said Warden after voting against adopting the financial plan. Warden added, “I wanted to give a vote of protest against this budget.” Despite the increase, West Milford fares well in comparison to other Passaic County towns when it comes to property taxes. In 2005 West Milford’s average property tax of $6,348 more than just four of the other 16 municipalities in the county. Wayne township paid the highest average taxes in the county in 2005 ($7,961), with Paterson paying the least ($5182). In comparison to New Jersey as a whole,West Milford’s average property tax placed it in the top third most expensive towns. The most expensive taxes were paid by Camden County’s Tavistock Borough with a whopping average of $21,168 per year.