TCNJ Presents Property Tax Forum

“We know we have a property tax problem” in the state of New Jersey, Dr. Henry Coleman told a crowd in Brower Student Center on the evening of September 29. But that was hardly news to the attendees of the property tax issue debate, co-sponsored by the New Jersey Coalition for the Public Good and The College of New Jersey’s Leadership in Public Affairs Program.

Coleman, professor of public policy at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, acted as moderator of the event. Four leading reform plans were presented by experts and analyzed by critics. A question-and-answer session at the end of the evening allowed citizens to share their concerns with the panel.

Carl Van Horn, an adviser to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Senator Jon Corzine, detailed what he called “a strategy for lasting and permanent relief.” The senator’s “REAL” (“Responsible, Effective, Accountable, Lasting”) plan involves “immediate target relief” over the course of four years, primarily for senior citizens and those earning less than $200,000 a year, “without raising other taxes.” Other goals include controlling local spending and increasing citizen involvement in the tax relief process through citizen conventions.

Tom Neff, an adviser to Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Forrester, described his party’s approach to tax relief as “a little bit different” from the opponent’s plan. The Forrester camp held public hearings across the state to see what it is that New Jersey residents desire in a tax relief plan. From their research, Forrester and his team created the “30 in 3” plan, which involves an automatic rebate guaranteed by the state constitution, and an eventual 30-percent reduction in property taxes.

Assemblyman Louis Manzo of the 31st Legislative District has what he thinks is a “smart” solution to the property tax problem. His proposed New Jersey Save Money and Reform Taxes (NJ SMART) Act could potentially benefit more than three million tenants and homeowners statewide. Though the plan would raise taxes slightly for 67 thousand residents, it would ease the high tax burden on lower-income families. Under NJ SMART, “everyone is paying their fair share” of educational taxes, Manzo said.

Sandra Matsen of the Property Tax Reform Convention Coalition, a union comprised of several tax advocacy groups, presented the group’s property tax convention plan. Stressing “relief, not reform,” she urged legislators to make the state’s property taxes closer to the national average-- currently, there is a $6 billion difference between New Jersey and the rest of the country. She also admitted that no tax reform plan will please everyone, stating that “no matter what is proposed, someone will have to pay more.”

Guest analysts included Amy Goldsmith, state director of the New Jersey Environmental Federation; Jim Goodman, a reporter with The Times of Trenton; Mark Murphy, president of the Fund for New Jersey; and Ingrid Reed, director of the Eagleton New Jersey Project. They expressed their concerns about the sustainability of the proposed plans, as well as resulting land-use issues, and how to convince voters that these plans will be successful. “New Jersey has real challenges” when it comes to solving the property tax problem, said Reed.