Some West Orange Residents Are Fuming Over 16% Proposed Tax Hike

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A financial crunch may be headed West Orange’s way this year under the proposed town budget, with homeowners facing a possible hike of 16 percent to the municipal portion of their taxes.

Council President Tammy Williams had some stern words about the latest municipal spending plan at the council meeting on Tuesday. See the draft budget here.

“So certainly as a homeowner and a taxpaying resident of West Orange, I, too, am not completely satisfied – am appalled – at a 16 percent tax increase in the budget that has been presented to us,” Williams said.

“It is necessary and required that this administration go back [and] find what cuts can be made immediately,” she added.

Williams noted that a budget work session was previously scheduled for May 4, but was canceled because the council didn’t have enough time to review the proposal.

The council later set a date for a first hearing on the budget for 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18.

The potential tax hike got some harsh rebukes from several residents during the public comment portion of the meeting, including some who opined that local real estate development is playing a key role in this year’s budget struggles (watch the video below).

“A 16 percent property tax increase at this time would be devastating to just about everyone who lives in this town,” one resident said.

Township business administrator John Gross offered some additional details about this year's municipal budget at the April 18 town council meeting.

Watch the video below, and see the presentation online here.

Gross gave the council an update at the May 2 meeting, calling the upcoming process “the most difficult budget that any of you will experience hopefully in your career.”

“In order to come up with solutions, it is going to take the cooperation and collaboration of the administration and the council,” he said, adding that cuts in programming and staffing and the consideration of “alternative revenues” may be among the choices that need to be made.

“It impacts everyone,” he emphasized.

SCHOOL BUDGET

Property taxes in New Jersey are generally made up of three parts: school, municipal and county. Read More: Average Property Tax Bill In West Orange Is Growing, Latest Data Shows

Here’s how that played out in West Orange last year (numbers rounded up):

• School – 61.7%
• Municipal – 26%
• County – 12.4%

The West Orange Board of Education heard a presentation from Assistant Superintendent Hayden Moore about the preliminary 2023-2024 school budget at their meeting on March 20

The proposed school budget would mean a yearly tax hike of $296 for the average West Orange homeowner with a property assessed at $336,591, an increase of about $25 per month. A public hearing and adoption of the final budget is scheduled for the board’s meeting on Monday, May 8.

• See Related: Proposed West Orange School Budget Would Mean Tax Increase

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