Budget discussions continued during the Gloucester Board of Supervisors’ March 16 work session.

Discussions started with board member Phillip Bazzani commenting on the proposed real estate tax raise of $0.03.“It’s my view that we should maintain our tax rate at $0.695. There are several things that cause me to do that and have that kind of opinion on our budget,” said Bazzani. “First of all, the citizens are being impacted in this county, number one being impacted by inflation taking a huge bite out of their pocketbook.”

Bazzani added the increasing costs of energy prices such as gas and rising interest rates that will impact personal borrowing and home loans to his list of reasons. He also pointed to the unknown economic impacts that the war in Ukraine will have upon the American economy.

“I think it would be sinful to sit here and raise taxes on Gloucester County citizens when they’re having to endure the impacts of inflation energy prices interest rates war and economy,” s...