Program Prevents Property Tax Increases

The Jersey Journal reports that four Hudson County communities will receive a total of $2,550,000 in "extraordinary aid" from the state for fiscal year 2005, as announced this week by state Community Affairs Commissioner Susan Bass Levin. Bayonne and Weehawken will get $900,000 each, Kearny will get $500,000 and Guttenberg will get $250,000. Extraordinary aid is a special category of state assistance that is awarded to municipalities that can prove that without the aid they would be unable to prevent property tax increases.

Hmm, extraordinary aid is given by the state to municipalities that can prove the aid is needed in order to prevent property tax increases. Every homeowner we know across the state sees their property taxes rise year after year. Seems to us that most towns in New Jersey could prove they need aid in order to prevent property tax increases. We wonder how the towns are chosen? Elighten-New Jersey will have to look into this state program.

Update: $21 million in extraordinary aid is being granted to municipalities by the state for 2005. The aid is designed to provide short-term local property tax relief resulting from extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of a municipality. See if your community is a beneficiary.