Author Topic: Property Taxes  (Read 118921 times)

Offline just watching

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #75 on: September 26, 2013, 06:46:20 PM »
What we need is legislation in Trenton that requires COUNTIES to pay property tax to municipalities for all county buildings, non-profits, hospitals, universities, and churches. They would have to raise taxes to do this, but it is really in the best interests of towns with a lot of tax-exempt property. For instance, Hackensack.

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #76 on: October 04, 2013, 02:19:04 PM »
Hackensack faces $5.5 million in tax appeal payouts
Friday, October 4, 2013
BY  JENNIFER VAZQUEZ
NEWS EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

Faced with an increasing amount of tax appeal payouts, some, according to officials, predating 2006, the Mayor and Council approved a resolution for an emergency appropriation in the total of $5.5 million to tackle the issue.

The governing body approved the resolution authorizing the amount during the Sept. 17 meeting.

According to Chief Financial Officer Tammy Zucca, the tax appeals involved many commercial properties over the years.

"We have a lot of commercial properties appealing their taxes and judgments were awarded," she explained. "There are at least 60 properties."

According to the resolution, the "emergency appropriation shall be provided from a refunding bond ordinance to be adopted prior to December 31, 2013 or will be funded in full in the [calendar year] 2014 budget." If the latter occurs, roughly $2.4 million of the $5.5 million emergency appropriation amount is requested to be excluded from CAPS, while the rest will be within CAPS.

News of the tax appeal payments did not sit well with Hackensack resident Regina DiPasqua.

"I am very unhappy with the problem that has been inherited — the tax appeals," she told the Mayor and Council during the meeting.

Deputy Mayor Kathleen Canestrino also expressed her disdain over the "inherited" issue the city has to face.

"Everyone that knows me knows that I'm the money girl," she addressed the public. "It's very upsetting to me also having to look to payout $5.5 million in tax appeals. We have good people researching these things and we are going to do what is right in this city. Many of these tax appeals go back to 2006 — if you can believe it that they remained unpaid. It's unfathomable to me that these things can go back and predate that long. We've inherited these things. We're going to work through them together. Everything has a solution. Everything is solvable if we put our heads together and do the right thing for the city."

Zucca further explained how the city could have tax appeals dating back to 2006.

"We can't control when residents and commercial owners appeal their taxes," she said. "When they appeal is not our responsibility. They might take four years to bring their tax appeal requests to our attention…maybe because some go through lawyers and take longer."

Councilwoman Rose Greenman assured the residents that the city will investigate how it came to be in the position that it is currently in.

"We inherited the problem," she said. "It's not a pleasant situation to be hit with all of this. We're looking into it. We are going to find the guilty parties. We are going to investigate and make sure that the people who did not do what they were supposed to do would be shown for what they have done. We are going to work very hard to reconcile all of this and to remain in your good graces."

Mayor John Labrosse shared similar sentiments.

"It's never fun inheriting a $5.5 million gorilla like this but we'll get through it," he said. "It's not going to be easy but we'll do what's right. We have some great people working behind us."

Email: vazquez@northjersey.com
- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/226412361_Hackensack_faces__5_5_million_in_tax_appeal_payouts_million_in_tax_appeal_payouts.html?page=all#sthash.qBGmcGWh.dpuf

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #77 on: February 11, 2014, 08:47:51 AM »
Donovan calls for tax hike in Bergen County near 2%
Monday, February 10, 2014    Last updated: Monday February 10, 2014, 8:42 AM
BY  JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan will propose a $511 million budget this week that calls for a nearly 2 percent increase in the amount to be raised by county taxes.

That will mean a tax increase of $6.49 this year for the owner of a home assessed at the county average of $324,200.

...

Also not included in the budget are proceeds the county expects from the sale of two Hackensack properties: the former County Police station on Zabriskie Street and the former Probation Department office on River Street.

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/244703061_Donovan_calls_for_tax_hike_near_2_.html?page=all#sthash.gxXriBVA.dpuf

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #78 on: March 21, 2014, 03:29:45 PM »
NJ's highest average property taxes were in Bergen County last year, data shows
Brent Johnson/The Star-Ledger 
on March 21, 2014 at 1:42 PM, updated March 21, 2014 at 3:05 PM
 
TRENTON — Bergen County saw the highest average property tax bill in New Jersey last year, while Cumberland County had the cheapest, according to new data released by the state Department of Community Affairs.

The average property tax bill statewide was $7,988 in 2013 — a 1.7 percent bump from the year before.

The average bill in Bergen County was $10,642 — an increase of 1.5 percent. That helped move Bergen past Essex as the county with the costliest tab.

Essex County ranked second in 2013, with an average bill of $10,590, followed by Union with $9,932, Morris with $9,547, and Passaic with $9,368.

The data factors in all municipal, school, and county taxes.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/03/njs_highest_property_tax_bill_in_2013_was_in_bergen_county_data_shows.html

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #79 on: May 16, 2014, 12:02:58 AM »
Backlog of property-tax appeals may cost Hackensack $30M
May 15, 2014, 11:42 PM    Last updated: Thursday, May 15, 2014, 11:45 PM
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
staff writer
The Record

A backlog of hundreds of tax appeals – some dating back nearly a decade — could cost Hackensack as much as $30 million, forcing the city to borrow the money instead of investing in infrastructure improvements, officials acknowledged this week.

City leaders blame the backlog on shoddy record keeping by the previous administration.

“It wasn’t even organized chaos. It was just chaos,” said Anthony Rottino, the interim city manager, describing Hackensack’s old system of property tax records. “This is going to have a dramatic impact on the city’s budget and its bond rating.”

http://www.northjersey.com/news/backlog-of-property-tax-appeals-may-cost-hackensack-30m-1.1017366?page=all

Offline just watching

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #80 on: May 16, 2014, 06:35:03 AM »
Newark has getting clobbered with this even worse.  Every year the city council balances the budget, but because of the tax appeals, last year they were over $30 million short, and this year they may be as much as $90 million short.  They have reduced over 1500 employees off their payroll over the last 5 years.

Now, Hackensack needs to raise "x" each year to run itself.  If the value of all properties goes down 10% and everyone wins their tax appeals, all the city needs to do is raise taxes 10% and then you'll be back to "x".  I know it's not popular, but it's either that or cutting your employees.  Or some combination thereof.

Maybe it is time for Hackensack to take another look at privatization of the DPW.  Get rid of all those expensive pension and benefit packages, injury lawsuits, insurance costs, etc.  And whoever wins the contract could potentially rent space at the city DPW facility for equipment storage.

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #82 on: June 03, 2014, 09:10:02 AM »
Officials discuss possible fix of Hackensack's tax appeal ordeal, $1 billion in ratable base loss
May 30, 2014    Last updated: Friday, May 30, 2014, 12:31 AM
By Jennifer Vazquez
NEWS EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

HACKENSACK — Undergoing a city-wide reevaluation in 2015 and implementing a rolling reassessment for subsequent years may help Hackensack with reducing tax appeals and halt the $1 billion in net value loss it experienced over the past seven years, administration officials said.

The last time the city underwent a reevaluation was in 2007. Since then, "we’ve had $1 billion knocked off the total ratable base," Tax Assessor Art Carlson said.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/officials-discuss-possible-fix-for-city-s-tax-appeals-1.1026300?page=all

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #83 on: June 10, 2014, 02:18:08 PM »
Hackensack proposed budget includes tax hike
June 10, 2014    Last updated: Tuesday, June 10, 2014, 1:21 AM
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER
The Record

HACKENSACK – The proposed city budget will be $2.5 million larger than last year's, with a significant tax increase for property owners, according to a summary released Monday by a city official.

The fiscal 2015 budget calls for the city to spend $94.4 million — a 2.73-percent increase over the current year that includes a 4.37 percent property tax hike. The increase would cost the average homeowner an additional $161.79 if the proposed budget is passed, according to a statement released by city spokesman Thom Ammirato. The council was scheduled to discuss the budget Tuesday night, but the meeting was canceled late in the day because council member Dave Sims will be elsewhere receiving a community service award and members Leo Battaglia and Rose Greenman are sick, said Deputy Mayor Kathy Canestrino.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/proposed-hackensack-budget-rises-1.1032351

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #84 on: June 28, 2014, 11:01:10 PM »
Hackensack takes first step in revaluation, yearly assessment
JUNE 27, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY JENNIFER VAZQUEZ
NEWS EDITOR
HACKENSACK CHRONICLE

HACKENSACK — The council took its first step in a revaluation of all city property and subsequent annual reassessments by approving a resolution authorizing the issuance of requests for proposals for revaluations during the June 19 council meeting.

The move comes after Hackensack Chief Financial Officer James Mangin determined that tax appeals have had a significant impact on the city's finances.

- See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/council-takes-step-toward-revaluation-1.1042548#sthash.8YW9zzEV.dpuf

Offline itsmetoo

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #85 on: July 04, 2014, 03:42:43 PM »
Privatizing the DPW will not get rid of the expensive pension payouts and benefits.  For the most part, those who work there are not paid very well. I recall when this suggestion came up years ago. There was a large scale push back from the African American citizens.  The majority of African American employment opportunities in Hackensack are through the DPW.  If you look at the majority of city offices and departments, that still rings true today.

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #87 on: August 02, 2014, 08:57:19 PM »
$8.6M bond introduced to finance Hackensack tax appeals
August 1, 2014    Last updated: Friday, August 1, 2014, 12:31 AM
By Jennifer Vazquez
NEWS EDITOR
Hackensack Chronicle

HACKENSACK — The city council introduced a bond ordinance totaling $8.6 million to finance tax appeal refunds.

The introduction, which took place at the July 21 Mayor and Council meeting, was in response to a backlog of tax appeals, some dating back to 2005, that has the city reeling — with expected millions still owed in the coming years.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/8-6m-bond-introduced-to-finance-tax-appeals-1.1060835

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #88 on: September 15, 2014, 10:55:19 PM »
Hackensack gains state approval of bond to settle tax appeals
September 15, 2014, 5:06 PM    Last updated: Monday, September 15, 2014, 5:06 PM
By TODD SOUTH
staff writer
The Record

HACKENSACK — The city won state approval for a long-term bond that enables it to settle more than $8 million in tax appeals, a move local officials say may encourage investment in downtown redevelopment plans.

The state Local Finance Board last week approved of a seven-year bond that will let the city repay $8.65 million in property tax appeals. At the same time, Hackensack adopted a plan to quickly bringing tax assessments up to date.

The city will have to request state approval for another bond of $8 to $10 million next year to settle the remaining tax appeals. But local officials and a development expert said resolving this first portion of the appeals puts the city on sturdier footing as the redevelopment begins.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/hackensack-gains-state-approval-of-bond-to-settle-tax-appeals-1.1088616?page=all

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Re: Property Taxes
« Reply #89 on: March 20, 2015, 02:52:55 PM »
Hackensack introduces $97.6M budget citing tax appeals as driving force behind 3.99-percent increase
March 20, 2015    Last updated: Friday, March 20, 2015, 12:31 AM
By Jennifer Vazquez
NEWS EDITOR |
Hackensack Chronicle

HACKENSACK – Tax appeals are the main reason for the increase in the 2015 municipal budget, according to officials who introduced the spending plan on March 10.

Chief Financial Officer James Mangin and City Manager David Troast presented the proposed $97.6 million budget – a 3.99 percent increase over the 2014 spending plan. According to officials, a homeowner with an average assessed property of $239,263 will have an increase of $155.99 on the municipal property tax bill.

Mangin and Troast began working with department heads on the budget months ago. According to Troast, the initial requests from department heads would have resulted in a 6.38-percent increase in the budget. However, both Mangin and Troast worked with the departments and trimmed the overall budget

 

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