Berkeley Council Calls For NJ Tax Revenue To Benefit Taxpayers

BERKELEY, NJ — Berkeley Mayor Carmen Amato and the Township Council are calling for New Jersey's unexpected tax revenues to relieve the taxpayers.

The council introduced a resolution at the May 23 meeting seeking an increase in municipal aid and direct property tax relief. This comes as New Jersey's tax revenues are about $7 billion more than what Gov. Phil Murphy projected two months ago, Amato said at the meeting.

"These unprecedented and unexpected revenues...can and should be used provide relief to taxpayers within the state," the resolution reads.

Direct property tax relief would benefit homeowners, especially those struggling or living on fixed incomes, such as Berkeley's sizable senior community, the resolution said.

The township also is calling for an increase in municipal aid. State-issued municipal aid has been flat for more than a decade, Amato said.

"Municipalities struggle with the rising cost of labor, goods and services," the resolution reads.

The resolution's purpose is for Berkeley's governing body to go on record urging Murphy and state legislators to use the tax revenues to benefit municipalities and homeowners.

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