by John Ducey,
Mayor, Brick Township
BRICK, NJ – Earlier this month, the Township Council unanimously passed a resolution that would have extended the grace period for quarterly property taxes to May 31. This was done in an effort to provide some assistance to families impacted by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The township has been informed by the state that this grace period extension is not permissible and Mayor John G. Ducey is voicing his frustration.
“I cannot overstate how disappointed and frustrated I am with the state’s decision. Extending the grace period has been done in the past by the state in the wake of Sandy and even for Federal employees during the recent furlough” said Mayor Ducey. “All we were doing was giving people – many of whom are not earning a paycheck right now – more time to pay their quarterly taxes without worrying about penalties. I cannot understand why the state won’t approve this small gesture during this unprecedented time.”
At their April 16, 2020 meeting, the Township Council unanimously passed a resolution that decreased the interest on late payments to 0% until May 31.
As per the state’s guidelines, penalties and interest rates will take effect at the statutory levels after the 10 day grace period. The Township will proceed with the quarterly payments due May 1 and a maximum grace period of 10 days as required by law.
Mayor Ducey urges the state to reconsider and approve the grace period extension. “We are going through a national emergency and no one knows when it will end. Providing some relief to people struggling in the way of a few more weeks to save for property tax payments is just plain common sense. I urge Governor Murphy and the State Legislature to address this issue and give towns the ability to help their taxpayers. They should be following past practices. Now is not the time to change course from what was previously allowed.”