Countering the position taken by Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger, Middletown Township Committeeman Sean F. Brynes, today called upon Township Tax Assessor Charles Heck to refrain from taking any action outside the normal process envisioned for implementation of Middletown's Revaluation.
“Middletown has delayed implementation of the revaluation for three years, has had its tax assessor suspended, and has had to budget an additional $150,000 for failing to complete the revaluation in 2008," said Committeeman Byrnes. "In so doing we have forced a majority of our residents to endure higher than justified taxes while the owners of a small percentage of the most valuable real estate in the Township have paid taxes based on extremely low assessments.” Byrnes continued, “We don't need to spend any more taxpayer dollars delaying or interfering with this process. Further delays will only force a majority of our residents to carry the tax burden for a small minority who own valuable real estate. Current assessment figures suggest that two-thirds of Middletown's residents will experience a decrease in taxes based on 2008 budget figures.”
“I strongly disagree with the Mayor's assessment that 'adjustments need to be made to many of the assessments arrived at by the Realty Appraisal Company'. “I suspect that the bulk of the complaints referenced by the Mayor come from owners of properties with high values that have not been reassessed for decades", continued Byrnes. “While these residents, like every Middletown resident, have the right to challenge the fairness of an assessment, there is no need at this point, absent compelling evidence to the contrary, for the Township Committee to take action and incur additional unnecessary expense engaging in reassessments."
“Middletown has delayed implementation of the revaluation for three years, has had its tax assessor suspended, and has had to budget an additional $150,000 for failing to complete the revaluation in 2008," said Committeeman Byrnes. "In so doing we have forced a majority of our residents to endure higher than justified taxes while the owners of a small percentage of the most valuable real estate in the Township have paid taxes based on extremely low assessments.” Byrnes continued, “We don't need to spend any more taxpayer dollars delaying or interfering with this process. Further delays will only force a majority of our residents to carry the tax burden for a small minority who own valuable real estate. Current assessment figures suggest that two-thirds of Middletown's residents will experience a decrease in taxes based on 2008 budget figures.”
“I strongly disagree with the Mayor's assessment that 'adjustments need to be made to many of the assessments arrived at by the Realty Appraisal Company'. “I suspect that the bulk of the complaints referenced by the Mayor come from owners of properties with high values that have not been reassessed for decades", continued Byrnes. “While these residents, like every Middletown resident, have the right to challenge the fairness of an assessment, there is no need at this point, absent compelling evidence to the contrary, for the Township Committee to take action and incur additional unnecessary expense engaging in reassessments."
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