By Katrina Grant
Shamong Township has been ordered by the Burlington County Board of Taxation to perform a tax reassessment. The last reassessment took place in 1989. The reason for the reassessment is to attempt to bring everyone to 100 percent of market value.
“Currently we are at 54.1 percent of market value and nothing has been inspected in 22 years,” Jay Renwick, tax assessor, said. “This will equitably distribute the tax burden over the township. Some people right now are over-assessed, and some people are under-assessed. There will be some winners and some losers, but right now there is a lot of inequity.”
The township was first ordered to conduct a re-evaluation for the 2011 tax year, but was able to secure an extension for the 2012 year. The re-evaluation was changed to a reassessment. A re-evaluation is where an outside firm performs the re-evaluation and reassessment is where the township tax assessor performs it.
The assessment will be conducted in 2011, and the new assessments will be effective Jan. 1, 2012. The new assessments will be billed for the 2012/2013-year and the bills will go out in August or September of 2012.
For the assessment, all buildings will be inspected. The assessors will measure the exterior dimensions of the buildings and will inspect the interior and exterior of the buildings. Property owners will be mailed a notice for the inspection on their property and will be given an approximate date for it. The township asks that property owners allow the inspectors access to the property to inspect, take measurements of the exterior and photos. The inspectors will have a photo identification badge. If they cannot produce the badge, do not allow them in.
After all the inspections are done and data is reviewed, the county will mail the new assessments after Nov. 1. The township will not be able to determine what the new assessment will be until everything is inspected and reviewed, but the township, county or state does not generate money from the assessment, officials said.
“Lots of people think that we make money from tax assessments, but this won’t generate money for the township,” Renwick said.
