Dover Council Approves 2026 Budget

No layoffs included in the deal, which will raise average homeowner's taxes $183 for year.

John Mooney, independent auditor for Dover, steps to the podium to answer council members' budget questions. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com)

The Dover Town Council approved the 2026 municipal budget on Tuesday, roughly three hours after getting the okay from the state of New Jersey.

 Mayor James P. Dodd, as well as professionals working on behalf of the town, deliberated on the merits of thelegislation, which was first proposed and passed on first reading in May.

Mayor Dodd highlighted during the meeting that the town was able to cut $1.3 million without any layoffs or reduction in services. He added that an average house assessed at $240,000 would see a $183 increase in local property taxes, or $15.25 per month. Town residents would have seen a reduction in their property taxes had it not been for the increase in the town’s health benefits, he said.

DoverNow.com reported in May that the initial budget proposal that was passed on first reading would have raised taxes by $17.74 or $213 per year. That increase in the budget, Dodd said, was due largely to a 41 percent increase in health benefits.

On Tuesday, council members first voted to amend the budget, which revised the town’s estimate on tax revenue, which went beyond the town’s levy cap, as well as a projection on grant funds available to the town. Mayor Dodd praised John Mooney, the independent auditor, and Ed Ramirez, Dover CFO, for their work.

"This is a bare-bones budget," Mayor Dodd said. "They worked tirelessly for the last weekend to ensure there would be no layoffs."

All members of the council voted in favor of adopting the budget, except for

Daniella Mendez, who raised concerns about the increase in the Recreation Department’s budget, and the lack of communication with the heads of every department.

Mooney said that he assumed that all town department heads had already been consulted on the budget by the time he was asked to review it. Ramirez and Mayor Dodd said that "basically" every department head had been consulted.

Council member Sandra Wittner echoed the same concerns as Mendez, adding that she hoped the town could engage the heads of every department moving forward.

Mayor Dodd responded that different financial experts may take different approaches, but that did not mean its process was wrong.

“It means that they may have taken a different approach to it, but I don’t think it is fair to say that it was not done incorrectly," he said. He reminded everyone in the room that the budgeting process is not going to get any easier.

"The 2027 budget is going to be worse that this year's, and 2028 is going to be worse than '27," he said.

In other news,

• Mendez read a proclamation on behalf of Dover, recognizing June as Pride Month in support of members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Mayor Dodd presents a proclamation to honor Ingrid Echevarria, Esq., for her pro bono work with residents on immigration issues. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com)

• Council held a brief presentation to honor Ingrid Echevarria, Esq., for her pro bono efforts helping families in Dover navigate legal matters in immigration, family, and civil law. Mayor Dodd presented her with a proclamation from the board, while Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen delivered another on behalf of the county.

• Council members began a discussion on a resolution to grant taxi and limo licenses. Then, midway through the review, they expressed concerns about details on regulations regarding the age and physical condition of the vehicles, and tabled the resolution for further review.