Continued Progress Announced Controlling Property Tax Growth in County

TRENTON — The Christie Administration released 2013 property tax data that shows a 1.5 percent increase in the total levy on which the tax rate is computed for Cape May County municipalities, better than the overall statewide average increase of 1.7 percent. West Cape May had a 6.94 percent decrease and West Wildwood had a 4.72 percent decrease. North Wildwood and Wildwood also had decreases while Ocean City and Sea Isle City had increases of less than 1 percent.
The figures released by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for the state’s 565 municipalities show that property taxes decreased in more than 80 communities, increased by less than 1 percent in approximately 80 more, and on average increased by 1.3 percent last year on the average residential property. It’s the third consecutive year of an historic property tax trend.
“By any measure, Governor Christie’s property tax reforms have been a resounding success across New Jersey as a whole and in Cape May County in particular as demonstrated by the third straight year of statewide property tax restraint,” said DCA Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III.
Under Governor Christie’s leadership, a bipartisan property tax cap is now in effect, and other reforms initiated by Governor Christie have made it possible for towns to do better than the cap requires.
The Christie Administration led the way in passing pension and health benefits reforms and enacting interest arbitration reform that reduced costs to taxpayers. These efforts are yielding benefits for New Jersey taxpayers with local governments projected to save close to $122 billion in pension and health benefit costs over the course of the next 30 years. Also, the Governor in his budget address announced that local government pension bills for 2014 are expected to be lowered by an additional $135 million.
“Progress will continue and accelerate if the Legislature renews the binding arbitration law and passes the accumulated leave liability reform that Governor Christie has championed,” Commissioner Constable said. “Taxpayers want the Legislature to continue the Governor’s reforms so we don’t return to 4, 5 and 6 percent annual property tax increases.”
Municipality Levy % (Decrease/Increase)
Avalon Borough 3.62%
Cape May City 1.22%
Cape May Point Borough 1.70%
Dennis Township 1.50%
Lower Township 3.51%
Middle Township 4.27%
North Wildwood City -0.05%
Ocean City City 0.12%
Sea Isle City 0.78%
Stone Harbor Borough 1.26%
Upper Township 1.28%
West Cape May Borough -6.94%
West Wildwood Borough -4.72%
Wildwood City -0.10%
Wildwood Crest Borough 2.90%
Woodbine Borough 4.50%
Cape May 1.54%
State 1.73%