Belleville Township
Belleville Township has spent none of its opioid settlement money, but its reports to the State put more money on hand than it says it ever received.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- Belleville Township has not spent a dollar of its opioid settlement money. Its bank account shows 27 deposits, 169,419.35 in all, and not one withdrawal through 06/10/2026.
- Its reports to the State cannot keep count of the money it is sitting on.
- The FY2026 report says the Township holds 195,452.61. That is 24,346.93 more than the report says it ever received, and 26,033.26 more than the bank ever took in. Finding
- The FY2025 report put 140,064.73 on hand against 66,263.59 received. Finding
- The FY2024 report left 75,801.14 of deposits out of its receipts and put 38,561.04 on hand when the account held 99,219.85. Finding Finding
Summary
Belleville Township, Essex County, reports receiving 171,105.68 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2026. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. It must add to local spending, not replace it.
The Township produced one record of the money, a Valley National Bank transaction listing for its opioid settlement account, printed 06/10/2026. It lists 27 of 27 transactions. Every one is a wire from a national settlement trust: the National Opioids Settlement Fund, the Walgreens, Walmart, CVS, Allergan and Teva trusts, the Endo Public Opioid Trust, the McKinsey trust and National Opioid Abatement Trust II. The listing totals 27 credits at 169,419.35 and 0 debits at 0.00.
This project has no spending to classify. No payment from the account is conforming, non-conforming or unverified, because there is no payment.
What the Township told the State
The State's reporting year runs 07/01 to 06/30.
FY2023. The Township reported 12,767.10 received and 0.00 expended as of 06/30/2023, with 0.00 on administration. Its goal was "to establish a program to educate youth on the use of opioids." It reported no program.
FY2024. The Township certified 10,651.61 received in the year, 23,418.71 received since 2022, 0.00 expended, 0.00 encumbered and 38,561.04 unspent on hand. The on hand figure is 15,142.33 more than the received figure. It answered No when asked whether it funded any programs. Its stated goal was "exploring options for use of the funds."
FY2025. The Township certified 42,844.88 received in the year, 66,263.59 received since 2022, 0.00 expended, 0.00 encumbered and 140,064.73 unspent on hand. The on hand figure is 73,801.14 more than the received figure. It answered No when asked whether it funded any new programs. Its stated goal was to send its first responders to a course on opioids given by Seton Hall University. No payment for any course appears in the account.
FY2026. The State published the report on 10/01/2026. The Township certified 29,040.75 received in the year, 171,105.68 received since 2022, 0.00 expended, 0.00 encumbered, 0.00 on administration and 195,452.61 unspent on hand. The on hand figure is 24,346.93 more than the received figure. It answered No when asked whether it funded any programs. Its stated goal read "To find the appropriate use of the funds." Asked for how many years spending had been decided, it answered "None to date."
What the records show
The bank listing shows no withdrawal from 11/03/2022 to 06/10/2026. That matches the 0.00 the Township certified for FY2023, FY2024 and FY2025, and for FY2026 through 06/10/2026. 06/11/2026 to 06/30/2026 was not produced.
The deposits by State reporting year set against what the reports say came in:
| Year | Deposits in the year | Reported received in the year | Deposits since 2022 | Reported received since 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 26,071.34 | 12,767.10 | 26,071.34 | 12,767.10 |
| FY2024 | 73,148.51 | 10,651.61 | 99,219.85 | 23,418.71 |
| FY2025 | 42,844.88 | 42,844.88 | 142,064.73 | 66,263.59 |
| FY2026, to 06/10/2026 | 27,354.62 | 29,040.75 | 169,419.35 | 171,105.68 |
- The FY2025 received in the year figure, 42,844.88, equals the eight deposits in that year to the cent.
- The FY2024 received in the year figure, 10,651.61, equals the first two deposits of that year, 8,489.16 on 08/02/2023 and 2,162.45 on 11/09/2023. The seven deposits of 04/30/2024 and the deposit of 06/17/2024, 62,496.90 in all, are left out.
- The FY2023 report's 12,767.10 is 13,304.24 below the three deposits through 06/30/2023.
- By 06/30/2024 the account had taken in 99,219.85. The FY2024 report put receipts since 2022 at 23,418.71, 75,801.14 less. The FY2025 report carried the same shortfall. Finding
- The FY2024 report put 38,561.04 on hand. That is 15,142.33 more than its own received figure and 60,658.81 less than the 99,219.85 the account held with nothing paid out. Finding
- The FY2025 report put 140,064.73 on hand against 66,263.59 received, 73,801.14 more than it said came in. The bank shows the received figure is the wrong one. The account held 142,064.73 at 06/30/2025, and the on hand figure is 2,000.00 below it. Finding
- The FY2026 report restates the base. Its 171,105.68 since 2022, less its 29,040.75 for the year, leaves 142,064.93. That is 0.20 more than the deposits through 06/30/2025.
- The FY2026 report gives 1,686.13 more received in the year than the deposits through 06/10/2026. The last 20 days of the year were not produced.
- The FY2026 report puts 195,452.61 on hand. The Township spent nothing, so it cannot hold more than it received. The figure is 24,346.93 more than the report's own 171,105.68 received since 2022 and 26,033.26 more than every deposit the bank shows. Finding
What was not produced
- The account number and opening date of the bank account.
- Any municipal budget or appropriation ledger for the settlement money.
- Any entry after 06/10/2026.
How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.