Cuts To NJ Tax Relief Leaves Homeowners Outraged, New Poll Says

New Jersey seniors are up in arms with Mikie Sherrill’s plan to slice property tax relief in the introduced state budget, according to a recent poll.

A poll conducted by AARP took responses from 702 New Jersey residents 45 years of age or older regarding affordability in the Garden State.

The poll mentioned property tax relief, specifically the Stay NJ program, which is anticipated to take a hit if Sherrill’s proposed budget is approved in July.

In its current form, Stay NJ reimburses applicants for 50 percent of their property tax bills, up to a maximum of $13,000, with a benefit cap of $6,500. To be eligible for the Stay NJ program, residents must be 65 years and older, have owned and lived in their home for the full 12 months of the fiscal year, and have an income below $500,000.

Sherrill’s new plan changes both the Stay NJ benefit amount and who is eligible to receive it.

Under the proposed budget, the Stay NJ income requirement is cut in half, meaning that the eligible seniors must have an income below $250,000, the same eligibility requirement as the ANCHOR program. Additionally, it lowers the maximum benefit from $6,500 to $4,000.

Related: Sherrill Cuts Property Tax Relief Eligibility In Budget Proposal

The governor says the move is a “fairer, more efficient use of taxpayer money.”

Poll Results

The survey found that 65 percent of respondents either strongly or somewhat supported keeping Stay NJ as it is, with a $6,500 maximum benefit and a $500,000 eligibility threshold. Twenty percent of respondents said they neither supported nor opposed keeping it the same.

Conversely, 50 percent of respondents said they would support Sherrill’s changes to some degree, scaling the benefit amount back to $4,000 and the eligibility threshold to $2,500.

Additionally, 59 percent said they would support scaling back the income limit to $2,500 and keeping the maximum benefit amount $6,500, and only 37 percent said they would support keeping the income limit at $500,000 and bringing the benefit amount to $4,000.

In conclusion, 64 percent of respondents said they would support a candidate who would keep the Stay NJ program in its current form.

The poll discussed concerns over utility costs, caregiver costs, fraud awareness, data center concerns, and nursing home transparency. See all results online here.

Sherrill’s proposed budget is now subject to review and negotiations, and the final product is due July 1. Read More — Sherrill Looks To End Crisis: 5 Takeaways From NJ Budget Address

Eligible residents are still able to claim up to $6,500 in Stay NJ property tax reimbursement for the 2025 fiscal year. Read More — Major NJ Property Tax Relief Available Now: How To Get Your Cut