Politics & Government
'Scary Numbers' For Some West Orange Homeowners Amid Tax Revaluation
"People really want to live here, and they're willing to pay a very hefty price to do so."
WEST ORANGE, NJ — This week's West Orange Town Council meeting kicked off with officials tackling a scorching-hot topic among local homeowners: property taxes.
West Orange has been carrying out a revaluation campaign – the first it has seen in more than a decade. The mandatory program was ordered by the Essex County Board of Taxation and approved by the New Jersey Division of Taxation.
During a revaluation, all local properties are reassessed to find out their current “full and fair value.” The goal? To make sure each home or business owner is paying their fair share toward the town’s overall tax burden.
Find out what's happening in West Orangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Although almost all property values rise during a revaluation, it doesn't necessarily mean that all property taxes will increase, experts explain: some may rise and others may fall (learn more here).
West Orange is under legal obligation to conduct and implement the revaluation by Feb. 10, 2025.
Find out what's happening in West Orangefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Local homeowners have recently been getting letters from the township with their new assessments and estimated taxes – with some reporting serious sticker shock on social media.
On Tuesday evening, the town’s municipal tax assessor, Jacob Nieman, took to the podium before an audience of local homeowners to speak about the revaluation (watch the video at the bottom of this article, cued to the discussion).
There is a “robust” real estate market in West Orange, as well as North Jersey, Nieman said.
“People really want to live here, and they’re willing to pay a very hefty price to do so,” he commented.
According to figures presented by Nieman, the town’s revaluation firm inspected – or attempted to inspect – all 14,709 properties in town.
The town saw “widespread” increases in home values, which were not confined to specific pockets or neighborhoods. Residential homeowners saw their property values increase by an average of $343,513 – about 82 percent (the median average increase was $274,600 or 89 percent).
In total, the value of all property in West Orange increased by 84 percent. However, the breakdown of the town’s value distribution remained largely unchanged, Nieman reported:
- Residential – 72%
- Commercial – 17%
- Exempt – 10%
- Vacant Land – 1%
TAX IMPACT
About 40 percent of property owners can expect either a decrease or “little to no change” in their tax bill, Nieman said. As for increases, that’s a little more complicated, he added.
Residential property owners will see an average tax hike of $76 (or 0.44%).
“This goes to the point about the change in assessments being an allocation change, rather than a total amount change, because that lower half of the market saw so much growth and appreciation – and frankly, wealth buildup,” Nieman said.
However, the median residential tax bill will be going up a “bit more,” he added – about $500.
“I want to emphasize that my office is aware that’s a big scary number, and it’s not something we’re excited about,” he continued. “But it’s reflective of the gain in market value for properties throughout the township.”
Nieman noted that only 56 percent of properties had interior inspections done.
“We had to make assumptions about the properties we couldn’t enter,” he said. “When we make assumptions, we get things wrong.”
HOW TO FILE AN APPEAL
Nieman said that his office has been fielding repeated calls from people protesting the accuracy of their new assessment and tax bill – and asking what they can do about it.
“That’s a very real concern … I’m very sympathetic to them,” he said, sharing the following list with meeting attendees (article continues below):
- Call the Reval Firm – They can be reached at 1-800-410-5815 to discuss the estimated assessment.
- File a Tax Appeal – Appeals may be filed to the Essex County Board of Taxation between February 10 and May 1. Properties assessed for more than $1,000,000 may also file directly to the New Jersey Tax Court (click here for the form for county appeals).
- Contact the Assessor's Office – We're here to help answer questions. That being said, it's best to call the reval firm prior to January 31. Email: taxassessor@westorange.org, Phone: (973) 325-4060.
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