Council Approves Tax Hike for Gloucester Township Residents

Gloucester Township, NJ -- Gloucester Township residents will see a tax increase of about 11 cents after council unanimously approved its $57,950,948 budget Monday night.

The tax increase means the owner of the average home in Gloucester Township assessed at $190,000 will pay an extra $209 in taxes annually. The total tax increase is $4,536,546.

Among the reasons for the increase was two storms that hit the region over the last year, including the June 23 storm and a winter storm in January.

The township is eligible for a total of between $1.6 and $1.7 million in federal aid for both storms, including $1.2-$1.3 million for last summer’s storm and about $600,000 for the winter storm.

Business Administrator Tom Cardis said the township spent more on the clean up following the storms, but is not eligible for the full reimbursement.

Ray Polidoro, chairman of the Gloucester Township Republican Party, pointed out several storms the township increased the budget for in the past, including one year in which there were four storms. He asked why the budget hasn’t decreased after the township was reimbursed for the expense of each of those storms, saying the township “should be prepared for 10 storms by now.”

“Once the budget lapses, that money is gone,” Cardis said.

There is also a decrease in expected surplus from $4,840,000 to $3,175,830. Salaries and wages increased from $21,919,548.60 to $22,847,883.

The township also saw an increase in tax appeals, costing the township another $41 million. The net result of that is a $36 million decrease in ratables, despite additional revenues coming to town, Council President Orlando Mercado said.

The township is $174,722 below the state’s tax cap.