Tax And Water Rate Increases Possible In Gloucester County

Gloucester County officials are facing tough budget decisions for fiscal year 2026. At a recent work session, the financial challenges, including funding for a new volunteer fire station, school board requests, and utilities infrastructure were all discussed. Thanks to the inflation of the past few years, the cost of the new fire station has now risen to $17.3 million, sparking concerns about a potential tax increase. Additionally, the school board has requested an additional $2 million in funding, potentially requiring yet another tax hike. A public hearing on water rate increases is scheduled for April 1.

ed@edhisted.com

Ed launched his radio career in 1975 and has spent more than five decades in the broadcasting industry. During that time, he has served in a wide range of roles including Air Personality, News Director, Sales Manager, Operations Manager, and General Manager at numerous radio stations in various markets across the country. Beyond on-air and management responsibilities, Ed has also worked extensively on the technical side of broadcasting. His background includes RF engineering and information technology, with particular experience configuring digital automation systems and remote voice-tracking platforms used by stations across the country. Ed was also among a select group of industry professionals invited by Google to its California headquarters following the company’s acquisition of Scott Studios. He was one of just 12 broadcasters nationwide chosen to participate in discussions and provide input during the design and rollout of Google’s digital broadcast automation platform. Although the majority of Ed’s career—spanning roughly four decades—was rooted in music radio, he transitioned into news and information programming in 2012. He says the move into spoken-word broadcasting was a natural evolution after decades of experience in multiple areas of the industry.