Raritan NJ
5-16-2025 10:13pm

Somerset County Passes 2025 Budget

On Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at their bi-monthly meeting, the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners adopted the 2025 budget. This year’s budget both preserves and expands vital services for Somerset County’s residents while also maintaining the County’s important AAA Bond Rating.

“Being able to provide services to Somerset County residents and meet them where they are remains my, and my fellow commissioners, first priority,” said Somerset County Commissioner Director Shanel Y. Robinson. “It is imperative, in the current economic and political climate, that the diverse residents of Somerset County feel safe, supported, heard and seen, and are able to easily access the robust services that our County provides. We have carefully considered all aspects of need in the County and are pleased to announce the launch and continuation of indispensable services for individuals, families, small business owners, our educational institutions, corporate partners, and anyone who calls Somerset County home.”

The amended budget of $284,571,600 is up 5% from 2024 and includes $239,705,606 to be raised through property taxes. The average county home valued at $590,863 (up $41,011 from 2024) will see an annual increase of $79.38 in the County’s portion of their property tax bill. The tax rate will decline by 2.29% to .2822 from .2888 per $100 of assessed home value. The County’s total assessed real property value is more than $85 billion, up 8.35% from last year and more than 32% since 2021.

The County will continue to partially fund its affiliated agencies including the County Vocational Technical High School, Raritan Valley Community College, Somerset County Park Commission, Social Services, and Somerset County Business Partnership.

The budget additionally will fund significant infrastructure, including the 38 parks and open space areas which span across 15,000 acres, over 248 miles of county roads, and 752 bridges; high-performing public health services, 911 communications, emergency response, and training capabilities; and the Sheriff’s Office, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Corrections Facilities.

Additionally, the County launched a county-wide community outreach program aimed at directly engaging our residents within their communities. This direct outreach will connect residents with vital services such as behavioral health, food insecurity support, and more.

The budget includes nearly 200 shared services with our municipalities and Board of Educations that save taxpayer dollars:

  • Providing municipalities and schools with easy access to shared services via the innovative Somerset County Marketplace, including graphics and printing services.
  • Recycling for all 21 municipalities, including schools, offering shredding, hazardous waste, and other important free recycling services.
  • Transportation services for six municipalities.
  • Vehicle maintenance for 30 municipalities and agencies.
  • Vehicle fuel for over 50 agencies.
  • Statewide emergency services training.
  • Public health services for 10 municipalities.
  • Full dispatch service for 15 municipalities (two out of county), EMS dispatch services in 7 more towns, plus fire only in 4 towns.
  • A statewide cooperative purchasing program.

The County budget will support:

  • Economic Development Initiatives: Our Economic Development team will be launching a CityData tool to help support our downtowns and increase tourism county-wide, and will additionally be launching a volunteer database to help better facilitate corporate and nonprofit partnerships.
  • Tourism Initiatives: Our Tourism wing, managed through the Somerset County Business Partnership, will be working cooperatively with our Agriculture Board to launch, “Seeded in Somerset,” an innovative agrotourism campaign to help spur growth for our farms, small businesses, restaurants, and more. Additionally, we will be working hand-in-hand with our local restaurants and small business to prepare for the rapidly approaching FIFA World Cup being held in 2026.
  • Engineering and Planning Initiatives: County-wide improvements will be continuing, further enhancing traffic safety, county roadway reconstruction and resurfacing, the reconstruction of bridges on both Pottersville Road and Mountain view Road, as well as improvements to County playground facilities at Colonial and North Branch Parks.
  • Public Works Initiatives: County recycling will be continuing the expansion of the popular curbside recycling program with an enlargement of the fleet.

Wellness Initiatives: Our Health Department will be completing their Public Health Accreditation which will allow our expert staff to further improve health outcomes for our communities. Our Richard Hall Community Health and Wellness Center will be completing construction of an on-site pharmacy to better serve clients. And, our Human Services Department will be continuing to serve residents by responsibly allocating opioid settlement dollars to vital local community services and groups, as well as will be launching a Mobile Harm Reduction (HEAL) van to support individuals who have a substance use disorder.

To learn more about Somerset County, register for free email alerts at somersetcountynj.gov/subscribe or follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube.

About Somerset County

The County of Somerset is committed to excellence and innovation in public service, promoting the well-being of all residents and communities by providing effective, efficient, and responsive leadership.

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