Senator Jim Holzapfel

September 23, 2009   

Contact: Kate Cocozza / (732) 840-9028
Senator Jim Holzapfel

Census Data Show New Jersey Has Highest Median Property Tax Bill and Six of Nation’s Ten Most Expensive Counties

New Jersey property taxpayers continue to struggle under the inability of Governor Corzine and the Democratically-controlled Legislature to address the state’s property tax problem, Republican Assemblymen James W. Holzapfel and David W. Wolfe said today after new data show New Jersey’s $6,320 median property tax bill topped the nation.

“The revelation comes to no surprise to New Jerseyans who have faced incessantly rising property tax bills while Governor Corzine and his allies in the Legislature have failed to do anything about it,” Holzapfel said. “The governor takes credit for controlling the growth of property taxes, but they have increased nearly 20 percent statewide since he has been in office.

“I only wish the governor were able to grow the state’s economy as well as he has grown its property tax burden,” Holzapfel added.

According to Census Data analyzed by the nonprofit Tax Foundation, six New Jersey counties ranked in the top 10 nationally among those with the highest property tax bills. Among the top 50, 17 are from New Jersey. Of the more than 1,800 areas ranked, the lowest New Jersey county was Cumberland at 118.

Wolfe and Holzapfel represent Ocean, which ranks 54th nationally, and Monmouth, which ranks 13th nationally.

“I’m sure Governor Corzine will point to the fact that the top two counties are in New York, but New Jersey property taxpayers can no longer afford their heavy burden while the governor does nothing but point to other states in attempt to distract from his own inaction,” Wolfe said. “Our property tax problem has grown and festered for years to the point where it has become a national disgrace and poison to our state’s well-being.

“We have proposed countless solutions through the years to tackle property taxes, it is time for the Governor to embrace them,” Wolfe added.

Click here for a Tax Foundation chart, available at www.taxfoundation.org, showing where New Jersey counties rank nationally. Click here for an Assembly Republican chart breaking down the state’s average property tax bill, which exceeds $7,000, by municipality.

Census Data Show New Jersey Has Highest Median Property Tax Bill and Six of Nation’s Ten Most Expensive Counties New Jersey property taxpayers continue to struggle under the inability of Governor Corzine and the Democratically-controlled Legislature to address the state’s property tax problem, Republican Assemblymen [...]