To the Editor:
Thank you for your recent article regarding property tax increases in Cape May County. It is important to note that just as families are struggling to make ends meet due to record rates of inflation and ridiculous prices at the gas pump, governments are also faced with the same challenges.
Elected officials at every level share that same burden in their domestic budgets. We are also aware that we do not want to increase that burden by imposing higher taxes on our constituents.
Understanding the Herald’s chart with regard to Upper Township requires taking some unique facts into consideration.
For many years, Upper Township taxpayers paid no property taxes due to a host community benefit paid by B.L. England Power Plant. The cost of government increased substantially over the years, and that benefit no longer had the ability to cover the entire operating budget of Upper Township.
Only 10.78% of collected property taxes remain in the township as our municipal purpose tax; 12.47% goes toward the county purpose tax, with an additional 2.34% for county open space and the county library for a total of 14.81%.
Our local school district accounts for the majority of our tax bill, with 69.48% being allocated for the education of our children. Unfortunately, the governor’s approach to school funding has left our school board members in the very difficult position of losing $7 million in state aid over the next three years. Meanwhile, the state will not allow the local school board to cut unwanted curricula and programs that they and the parents may not desire.
Without the ability of the local school board to actually govern by community standards, they are stuck with rising costs that must be met. Eventually, the property taxpayers are also stuck with the bill.
It is also important to note that our total budget is about 50% less than other comparable municipalities in the area. As is our municipal purposes tax rate. If we are to examine this strictly based on percentages, 15% of $1 is a lot less money than 2% of $100.
Upper Township Committee will continue to pursue new revenue opportunities and explore ways to save taxpayer dollars. Finding ways to lower taxes while increasing services is a challenge, but one we are working diligently to achieve. After all, we are property taxpayers, too.
– Kim Hayes, Petersburg
ED. NOTE: The author is a member of Upper Township Committee.
