COURT HOUSE – The regular meeting of Middle Township Committee March 5 began with the passage of an emergency budget amendment in the amount of an appropriation for $100,000. There was also a second reading of an ordinance appropriating $311,000 to complete various capital improvements including the purchase of three police emergency sport utility vehicles as well as projects on Benny’s Landing and Reed’s Beach.
Accelerated Tax Sale
However, the item that drew comment from the public was the resolution authorizing an accelerated tax sale. Currently, the process for the township to obtain a tax lien is as follows: if a homeowner cannot or does not pay his property tax (or sewer bill) that is due Nov. 1, the township’s tax office sends them a letter notifying of the delinquency and that their property will be put up for a tax sale unless they satisfy the bill beforehand.
The tax lien sale this year was held March 5 – a full four months later. Under the proposed change, that tax lien sale would be moved up to Dec. 17, 2014 for any taxes not paid by Nov. 11, 2014.
Business Administrator Constance Mahon explained the reasoning behind that. It is estimated that over 25 percent of the properties located within the township will have unpaid taxes both property and sewer. Whether an individual taxpayer pays taxes or not, the township is still obligated to pay the taxes owed to other government entities such as the county (whose tax rate is expected to go up), the school district, the library, the fire district and the Open Space tax. To do this, according to Mahon, they must get the money from the other taxpayers who are paying their taxes on time. This might lead to a tax increase on those other taxpayers who pay on time. Middle Township receives only 25 percent of the tax levied.
Betty McGurk, a resident, had both questions and comments on the proposed acceleration. “My tax rate is now higher than my mortgage,” McGurk said. She also took exception at the characterization that some people just don’t want to pay their taxes. “I’m going to lose my house cause I just don’t want to pay my taxes. People are struggling out here,” she declared.
Deputy Mayor Daniel Lockwood responded, “So what do you want, Betty, for us to raise your taxes?” McGurk then called the abbreviated tax sale date, “super-accelerated.”
Committee members Michael Clark and Daniel Lockwood voted to pass it. Mayor Timothy Donohue was absent due to a previously scheduled vacation. Clark also commented that the one cent increase in the tax rate was “good” and would “avoid pitfalls for next year.”
Committee also moved the ordinance forward to amend the property maintenance code, which was extensively discussed in previous work sessions. A second reading and public comment and consideration for adoption will be held April 7.
Conifer Project
Swainton resident Eileen Fausey commented on the DEP meeting held Feb. 26. She was referring to the ongoing Conifer Construction project that has aroused community opposition.
The public hearing was well attended and representatives of the DEP heard residents voice concerns about a building project that is surrounded on three sides by a federal wildlife preserve.
Fausey said representatives of the Littoral Society and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency testified. Representatives of Conifer did not. Fausey said that committee should have held hearings on the matter before they changed the law to allow “only 10 of buffer.” She ended by stating, “If CAFRA permit is issued, that will be the legacy of committee. If not issued, it would be because of the residents of Middle.”
McGurk also raised concerns about the creatures living on the proposed construction site. She maintained that it was a threatened wildlife habitat citing the Eastern Tiger Salamander and a swamp plant found only in this area. “Conifer has bullied the township into taking our most sensitive site,” she said. After Lockwood disagreed, “The preserve is the most important wildlife site, not the Conifer site.”
Clark said he hopes that the CAFRA permits are not approved. This would effectively abort the project. He also reminded the public that there is a 15-day comment period after the hearing March 26, for interested parties to express opinions.
To contact Helen McCaffrey, email hmccaffrey@cmcherald.com.
See Middle Township Committee’s Mar. 4 Agenda here:
http://middletownship.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/March-5-2014-Public-Agenda.pdf
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