Taxes In Bloomfield: Public Webinars Will Discuss Budget, PILOTs

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Want to know more about how your local tax dollars are being spent in Bloomfield? Two upcoming webinars may help to shed some light on the town’s budgeting process, officials say.

A virtual public “information session” about municipal budgeting will take place on Thursday, April 17 at 7 p.m. Viewers will be able to learn more about how the township budget is created and managed.

The webinar can be watched several ways, including www.wbmatv.com or via Zoom (click here). It will also be streaming live on Facebook.

Members of the public can send questions via email to ecirne@bloomfieldtwpnj.com by noon on April 17. Attendees will also be able to ask questions via Zoom chat or Facebook during the webinar, town officials said. Learn more here.

In 2024, the average Bloomfield resident paid $12,020 in property taxes on a home valued at $354,446 (not including credits and deductions). Statewide, the average tax bill topped $10,000 for the first time in 2024, landing at a record-high $10,095. Read More: Here's How Much Bloomfield Homeowners Pay In Taxes (2025 Update)

Property taxes in New Jersey are mainly made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. Here’s how that played out in Bloomfield for 2024, according to state data (percentages rounded up):

• School – 46%
• Municipal – 39.3%
• County – 14.7%

INFO SESSION ON PILOT AGREEMENTS

Another public “information session” involving payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) will take place on Wednesday, April 23 at 7 p.m.

The webinar can be watched several ways, including www.wbmatv.com or via Zoom (click here). It will also be streaming live on Facebook.

Members of the public can send questions via email to ecirne@bloomfieldtwpnj.com by noon on April 23. Attendees will also be able to ask questions via Zoom chat or Facebook during the webinar, town officials said. Learn more here.

PILOT agreements, also known as municipal tax abatements, are deals that enable a developer to switch their standard tax payments for a property to a fixed, yearly payment to the municipality.

Some municipal officials have called them useful tools to attract development to distressed or blighted areas of town. But their use has drawn criticism from opponents, some of whom caution that the deals can enable a big developer to skip out on paying their fair portion of property taxes.

During a town hall meeting last year, Bloomfield’s chief financial officer, Jennifer Semler, shared 2024 revenue data for PILOT agreements for seven residential developments in town. Read More: Predicting PILOT Revenue Can Be Tricky, Bloomfield Official Says

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