Moorestown Resident Backs Council On Tax Decrease

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Judson B. Vandervoort Jr. is countering Timothy Daniels's claim that the tax decrease in the budget recently passed by Moorestown Council will be offset by increased fees in other areas. See Vandervoort's letter to the editor below.

Read Timothy Daniels's letter here.

To the Editor:

I am writing to take issue with Timothy Daniels’s cleverly worded letter that is trying to lead readers to believe that our Town Council is not reducing the amount we are being taxed, on the portion of our property tax bill which is under its jurisdiction, when in fact they are! Classic fake news.

First of all the statement that “Moorestown residents will pay more overall taxes in 2018 than in 2017” is true. But that has nothing to do with the people he is criticizing, our Town Council (led by Stacey Jordan and Manny Delgado).

Residents are smart enough to know that our property tax bill totals also include tax levies from several other taxing authorities/jurisdictions, including the County Government, one of the Fire Districts, and the School District.

The School District represents about two-thirds of the total of our tax bills. The Township government’s charge to residents is in fact going down on all of our bills, but the effect of this will be more than offset by increases approved by the School Board (the current makeup of which apparently has an entirely different agenda with regard to taxpayers and spending, than does our current Town Council).

So, yes our total property tax bills will be increasing (again), but this is not the fault of our Town Council!

With regard to just the Municipal portion, Mr. Daniels seems bothered by the fact that the decrease is being funded by a Township government surplus. I for one have no issue with our Council reducing its rate of taxation based upon the Township having more than it projects needing (while maintaining excellent municipal services). Mr. Daniels calls this “deficit spending.” But I would ask instead, “whose money is it in the first place?”

Mr. Daniels also notes that certain fees and charges have been increased to help the revenue side of this budget. To be more specific, some Parks and Rec. fees (such as to rent athletic fields or to take classes) have increased in the area of $25. This has also been while expanding the number of programs available for children, seniors, and new special needs programs.

Council has also lowered fees for field sponsorship banners. I do not mind the idea of revenues being more derived from (fair) charges for services rendered rather than just blanket tax increases across all residents, since not everyone is equally availing themselves of these services. This is just fairer, and good/sound business practice for our government.

Mr. Daniels complains that in the end this tax reduction will be only about $20 on the average tax bill/assessment. I just don’t understand the idea of complaining when government decides to reduce, and to not instinctively increase tax rates each year, as we (especially in New Jersey) have become so accustomed to.

I can not help but think of a similar cynical remark made by a prominent figure in the U.S. Congress — about the federal income tax reductions being just “crumbs” and not worthwhile steps for government in the right direction.

Judson Van Dervort, Jr.

Moorestown

See related: Moorestown Council Approves Budget With Tax Decrease

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