Health & Fitness
The Solution to our Staggering Property Tax Problem
By Jimmy Esposito, Candidate for New Jersey General Assembly – 30th District
I cannot tell you how many of my friends moved out of state because of our crippling property taxes. These people contributed so much to our communities: They coached local sports teams, volunteered at churches and civic organizations, and were actively involved in worthy causes. But because of the monumental property tax burden we face in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, these good people have fled the state.
False Hope:
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Out of desperation, many local municipalities have cut services to the bone in an effort to ease the property tax burden. Did it work? Property taxes are still out of control and now there are fewer services.
The Real Problem:
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The reason that New Jersey ranks among the states with the highest property taxes in the nation is because we send a disproportionate amount of money to the federal government.
Did you know that for every one dollar that a New Jersey resident sends to the federal government, we get back an average of 62 cents. This is unsustainable.
Our Neighbors in Virginia get $1.55 for every dollar they contribute. Many states are comparable to Virginia, and many more get back more than they contribute.
Did you know that Monmouth County ranks 14th in the nation out of all counties in highest rate of property taxes per household? Don’t smile Ocean County – you are ranked 23rd.
The Solution:
When I join the General Assembly as your elected representative, I will fight to bring back more federal dollars to the state and district. No amount of cost cutting will solve our property tax problem.
How can we hope to normalize our property taxes when we are subsidizing the rest of the nation? Enough is enough. As your Assemblyman, I will partner with the New Jersey State League of Municipalities’ Property Tax Reform Task Force and call for a state constitutional convention to lower property taxes by 35%.
Let’s work together to make Monmouth and Ocean County affordable for working families again.
