Marlboro Economic Development Committee Honored for Continued Success

In 2007, the Economic Development Committee in Marlboro Township had a $500 budget and a limited scope of projects.

By the end of 2008, the EDC was operating with a full range of local professionals volunteering to work with a $20,000 budget and bring business back to Marlboro.

"The ability to attract business to Marlboro was not there," Mayor Jon Hornik said. "We are smart enough, we have enough professionals and enough people who have compassion and care about the town that we can do a better job at marketing Marlboro to commercial businesses."

Since 2008, the committee has created projects such as Shop Marlboro and the Property Tax Rewards program, joining residents and businesses in the township in a mutual relationship.

Deputy Mayor Larry Rosen has been running the EDC since its rebirth, and with a team of about a dozen residents has brought commercial ratable growth to town.

"There has been an increase in local tax revenues of over $1 million, and this is during the worst economic recession since the Great Depression," Hornik said.

The goal of the EDC is to boost the local economy and market the township as a business friendly location.

The property tax rewards program, keeping business in Marlboro by rewarding residents through property tax reductions for shopping in town, now has 1,446 registered residents and 36 participating business.

Hornik said the program has kept $70,000 in the hands of local business owners since its rollout in September.

"Ultimately, the goal is to stabilize the pressure on residential property taxes, and we do that by making a longterm commitment to businesses. We are now perceived as a business friendly town," Rosen said. "It's a distinguishing feature, We're similar to towns like Manalapan, but we offer something different. We offer the support of an entire town and the commitment to businesses."