Affordability in crisis: new jersey wants to charge you more up to five times more to appeal your rising property tax bill

Senate committee says measure would modernize 1979-era fee structure and boost county tax board revenue.

TRENTON, NJ – For the first time in more than four decades, New Jersey lawmakers are moving to raise the filing fees for property tax assessment appeals, following action this week by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

Senate Bill 4909, reported favorably by the committee on December 8, would significantly increase the fees paid when property owners file an appeal with a county board of taxation. The current fee schedule has remained unchanged since 1979.

Under the proposed legislation, the filing fee would rise based on the property’s assessed value:
– Properties assessed under $150,000 would see fees increase from $5 to $25.
– Properties assessed between $150,000 and $500,000 would increase from $25 to $75.
– Properties valued between $500,000 and $1 million would rise from $100 to $150.
– Properties assessed at $1 million or more would increase from $150 to $200.
– Appeals involving only classification of property would increase from $25 to $75 per parcel.
– Appeals unrelated to value or classification would also rise from $25 to $75.

Counties expected to gain up to $700,000 annually

According to the Office of Legislative Services (OLS), the fee increases would generate an additional $620,000 to $700,000 in annual revenue for county governments beginning in 2026. Currently, counties collect between $830,000 and $975,000 annually from property tax appeal filing fees. Under the new fee structure, annual revenues could reach between $1.45 million and $1.65 million.

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By law, all filing fee revenue must be used exclusively by county boards of taxation for functions related to property assessment and the tax appeal process.

Appeal filings remain steady statewide

Treasury Department data cited by the OLS indicates that between 13,800 and 15,300 taxable property appeals were filed statewide each year from 2022 through 2025. Analysts expect that activity level to remain steady once the fee changes take effect.

The bill now moves forward for consideration by the full Senate. If enacted, the new fee schedule would take effect beginning in the 2026 tax year.

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