Galloway Council Approves Reassessment for 2014 Tax Year

Following a year in which there were more than 2,000 tax appeals, a tax reassessment is coming to Galloway Township.

The goal of the assessment is to put all homes in the township on equal footing when it comes to value, council said in approving the resolution unanimously at its meeting Tuesday night, Oct. 9. The reassessment would be conducted for the 2014 tax year.

A reassessment differs from a revaluation in that it is cheaper; residents don’t have to be home at the time of the assessment; and the inspectors don’t take inventory of the inside of residents’ homes.

According to Township Manager Arch Liston, the township is considering a reassessment because there’s no need to go through the whole process all over again. Galloway’s last revaluation was in 2009. That revaluation cost $1.2 million, according to Liston.

Tax Assessor David Jackson would conduct the reassessment in conjunction with a company to be selected by the township. A detailed RFP is currently available on the township’s website, and the deadline for submissions for the project is Oct. 22, 11 a.m.

“I’ve been through revals,” Deputy Mayor Tony Coppola said. “They’re invasive and you have to make sure you’re home at the time they show up, and if you’re not, you have to reschedule; this is much cleaner.”

“This will stabilize things across the board,” Township Manager Arch Liston said. “You’ll have an equalized value for all properties and it will minimize the tax appeals for 2014. It’s cheaper than a reval.”

Jim McElwee, the Democratic candidate for Galloway Council in November’s special election, submitted a Letter to the Editor on the subject of revaluations that was published on Galloway Patch on Sept. 25.

“A reassessment is good, it’s cheaper and it’s a better idea,” McElwee said following Tuesday’s meeting. “I first suggested this idea in a Letter to the Editor on Patch, and I’m glad they’re following up on that.”

During council’s conversation Tuesday night, Councilman Jim Gorman noted that Gloucester County is in charge of the reassessment process for every town in that county.

“They’ve eliminated local tax assessors,” Liston said. “Cumberland County is looking at doing, and it’s something Atlantic County will look at doing as well.”