Many Realtors in North Jersey Seem Misinformed about West Orange....

[nybbler]

The only think keeping them from raising it more is the statutory cap.

[tahiti]

I swear and am NOT lying, since 2008 (so 8 years) my taxes have risen $83 IN TOTAL, not yearly.

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by tahiti

I swear and am NOT lying, since 2008 (so 8 years) my taxes have risen $83 IN TOTAL, not yearly.

Can you tell us where you live? Maybe you're in one of the towns that gets excessive state school aid, thus shorting the rest of us.

[foodyum]

State aid has nothing to do with it.
I work in a city that get over $400,000,000 in aid and the average tax bill is $8,500 for a house assessed for under $200,000.

[Kthnry]

Originally Posted by foodyum

State aid has nothing to do with it.
I work in a city that get over $400,000,000 in aid and the average tax bill is $8,500 for a house assessed for under $200,000.

State aid has EVERYTHING to do with it. Maybe not everything, but a lot.

Let's look at some numbers. I'm guessing you live in Paterson, since it received $401,435,340 in state aid for the 2016 school year. If not, then Jersey City, which received 418,779,890.

Now let's see how the Paterson school district is funded. See the bold numbers? Almost 80% of your school funding comes from the state. Of course your local taxes are low, because you're only paying 6.7% of your town's school costs.

Revenue Sources, State: 79.2%
Revenue Sources, Local Taxes: 6.7%
Revenue Sources, Federal: 5.4%
Revenue Sources, Tuition: 0.1%
Revenue Sources, Use of Fund Balance: 8.1%
Revenue Sources, Other: 0.5%

In contrast, here's the breakdown for Montclair:

Revenue Sources, State: 15.5%
Revenue Sources, Local Taxes: 82.3%
Revenue Sources, Federal: 2.1%
Revenue Sources, Tuition: 0%
Revenue Sources, Use of Fund Balance: 0%
Revenue Sources, Other: 0.1%

And here's Alpine, just for fun:

Revenue Sources, State: 6.5%
Revenue Sources, Local Taxes: 93%
Revenue Sources, Federal: 0.5%
Revenue Sources, Tuition: 0%
Revenue Sources, Use of Fund Balance: 0%
Revenue Sources, Other: 0%

Of course rich towns should pay a larger share of their own school district's expenses and also contribute to schools in poor towns, but the current system is badly broken. Towns that have seen an influx of rich residents and large increases in property values continue to receive excess amounts of aid that should be redirected to towns with serious needs. The state Senate is working on a plan to make state aid distribution more fair.

[Edited to add that the only city that gets more state aid than Jersey City is Newark, at $742,025,051. Paterson is #3.]

[foodyum]

But taxes are high in Paterson and low in alpine so that doesn't jive with your theory - unless I am misunderstanding??

[Newbie43]

I must say you are correct. I moved t WO in 2009, my property taxes are now close to 7k for a condo! don't even get me started on the sewer bill, which increased to 350 this year. it's insane. all I see is properties for sale left and right. and yes, the taxes consist of almost 60% school tax. schools are not even that great in WO. I am currently looking to sell as well but the property value went down so much I will be loosing at least 80k. shame on me..

Originally Posted by Marc Paolella

Here is some more good info: Property taxes in West Orange are absolutely CONFISCATORY. I just did an appraisal and ran into a 20 year old Bi-Level in the unremarkable St. Cloud section with taxes of $16,103!! For a Bi-Level! No basement. No pool. No tennis courts. No land. Vinyl siding. $16,103 bloody dollars every year and for what? WHERE ON EARTH IS THAT MONEY GOING? Who is getting it? What are they doing with it?


If you are not doubled over yet with your sandals awash in vomit, we can try a stronger emetic: The same house in Saddle River, only much larger and on 2 full acres which sold for just under $1,000,000 dollars. The taxes must be $25,000 or $30,000 to live in a bigger Bi-Level on 2 full acres in a truly prestigious location. Right?


The taxes are $5,882.


$5,882! You'd have to be an idiot to move into West Orange where the local government is just going to throw you over a table and have you to the tune of $16,103 this year, and probably $20,000 in 4 or 5 years. That's $100,000 EVERY 5 YEARS just handed over to a local government. So that you can live like the Gates in a vinyl sided Bi-Level on a postage stamp lot with no basement and only slightly more panache that a double-wide.


It's frankly obscene. But it's more that that: it's unbridled tyranny and y'all better wake up because if you are peachy with paying $16,103 damnable dollars every stinking year in property taxes to live in a bloody West Orange Bi-Level, your freedom has been stripped and it's only a few more dots to connect before you awaken one fine morning to Greek citizenship.

[JERSEY MAN]

Originally Posted by Newbie43

I must say you are correct. I moved t WO in 2009, my property taxes are now close to 7k for a condo! don't even get me started on the sewer bill, which increased to 350 this year. it's insane. all I see is properties for sale left and right. and yes, the taxes consist of almost 60% school tax. schools are not even that great in WO. I am currently looking to sell as well but the property value went down so much I will be loosing at least 80k. shame on me..

Ouch 80K loss in 7 years. So much for the of the theory of real estate is an appreciating asset. Throw in the real estate taxes, condo fees, sewer and other bills and many times it's cheaper to rent.

[Yestolife]

Originally Posted by Marc Paolella

Here is some more good info: Property taxes in West Orange are absolutely CONFISCATORY. I just did an appraisal and ran into a 20 year old Bi-Level in the unremarkable St. Cloud section with taxes of $16,103!! For a Bi-Level! No basement. No pool. No tennis courts. No land. Vinyl siding. $16,103 bloody dollars every year and for what? WHERE ON EARTH IS THAT MONEY GOING? Who is getting it? What are they doing with it?


If you are not doubled over yet with your sandals awash in vomit, we can try a stronger emetic: The same house in Saddle River, only much larger and on 2 full acres which sold for just under $1,000,000 dollars. The taxes must be $25,000 or $30,000 to live in a bigger Bi-Level on 2 full acres in a truly prestigious location. Right?


The taxes are $5,882.


$5,882! You'd have to be an idiot to move into West Orange where the local government is just going to throw you over a table and have you to the tune of $16,103 this year, and probably $20,000 in 4 or 5 years. That's $100,000 EVERY 5 YEARS just handed over to a local government. So that you can live like the Gates in a vinyl sided Bi-Level on a postage stamp lot with no basement and only slightly more panache that a double-wide.


It's frankly obscene. But it's more that that: it's unbridled tyranny and y'all better wake up because if you are peachy with paying $16,103 damnable dollars every stinking year in property taxes to live in a bloody West Orange Bi-Level, your freedom has been stripped and it's only a few more dots to connect before you awaken one fine morning to Greek citizenship.

I agree with you about the ludicrousness of West Orange taxes, but omg, your post is so hilariously written that I laughed until tears came to my eyes. Great post.