Belmar Council Approves Property Tax Hike

The Belmar Council voted to approve a property tax hike on Tuesday, with Mayor Mark Walsifer saying "our finances are in crisis."

The council raised the amount raised by taxation from $6.6 million to $8 billion, a 21 percent increase in revenues.

Borough officials insisted, however, that residents won't pay 21 percent more. The overall tax rate – including local, school and county figures – will go up anywhere from 6 to 8 percent.

Based on only the local rate – the portion that the council voted on Tuesday – a homeowner with an assessed property value of $500,000 will pay about $420 more a year.

Walsifer shifted much of the blame on former Belmar officials for not allegedly paying the bills various line items and projects.

He said the borough had $320,000 in unpaid insurance premiums and $500,000 in unpaid engineering costs. The budget can be found here.

Resident Maria Rondiaro had asked told council members at the May 7 meeting to "go back to the drawing board" and consider the impact such a hike would have on businesses.

"I am terrified that this town will no longer be affordable," she said. "I ask you to go back to the drawing board."

Here is the council meeting (the budget vote comes at 2:39:40):