TOMS RIVER, NJ – Energy bills, gas prices, food prices and insurance premiums aren’t the only new increased expenses for Ocean County residents in 2026. As local Republican leaders rail against the Democrat party’s influence on the latter, they are also raising taxes in Ocean County and in such a difficult time, they are massively expanding the county’s public information office, something far from a necessity.
First, let’s get something straight. They will tell you there is no tax increase and that the tax rate remained stable. Local governments always try to confuse taxpayers with two terms, tax rates and tax levies.
Tax Rate vs. Tax Levy
The terms “tax rate” and “tax levy” are related but refer to different components of how taxes are calculated and imposed. The distinction is especially important in property taxation and local government finance.
A tax rate is the percentage (or millage rate) applied to a taxable base to determine how much tax is owed. In the context of property taxes, this rate is applied to the assessed value of a property. For example, if a municipality sets a tax rate of 2% and your home is assessed at $300,000, your tax obligation would be $6,000. The tax rate is essentially the multiplier in the equation—it determines how aggressively a jurisdiction taxes value.
A tax levy, by contrast, refers to the total amount of money a government entity intends to collect from taxpayers. It is a budget-driven figure. Local governments first determine how much revenue they need to fund services such as schools, police, and infrastructure. That total funding requirement is the levy. The tax rate is then derived from the levy in relation to the total taxable value within the jurisdiction.
In practice, the relationship works like this: the government sets a levy based on budget needs, then divides that levy by the total assessed value of all taxable property to arrive at the tax rate. This means that even if property values rise, the levy might stay the same, which can result in a lower tax rate. Conversely, if the levy increases, the rate may increase unless offset by rising property values.
Another key distinction is that taxpayers often focus on the tax rate because it directly affects their bill, but policymakers focus on the levy because it reflects spending decisions. Debates over “raising taxes” are often actually debates over increasing the levy, not just adjusting the rate.
In summary, the tax rate is the percentage applied to your taxable value, while the tax levy is the total revenue the government seeks to collect. The levy drives the rate, and together they determine your final tax bill.
Now that you know this, you can better understand that the tax levy is going up a lot.
Officials approve higher spending plan while increase its public information dept. three-fold
Toms River, NJ – Ocean County officials have approved a $655.6 million budget for 2026, marking a significant increase in spending and a 4.5% rise in the amount to be raised through property taxes. The newly adopted budget totals $655,659,528, up from $626,982,088 in 2025, an increase of nearly $47 million, according to county budget documents.
Despite the increase, county officials said the tax rate will remain unchanged at 0.282 cents per $100 of equalized property value. The larger budget is being driven in part by rising operational costs, infrastructure needs, and increases in debt service and employee-related expenses.
Tax levy increases despite flat rate
While the tax rate remains steady, the amount raised through taxation will increase sharply due to rising property values across Ocean County. The county will raise $544,639,035 in taxes in 2026, up from $497,909,182 in 2025—an increase of $46.7 million, or approximately 4.5%.
This reflects both growth in ratables and increased budgetary demands.
Key Points
- 2026 Ocean County budget totals $655.6 million, up nearly $47 million
- Property tax levy increases by about 4.5% to $544.6 million
- Tax rate remains unchanged at 0.282 despite higher overall tax burden
Surplus and revenues help offset costs
To help stabilize the budget, the county will use $39.5 million from its surplus, an increase of $1 million from the previous year. Anticipated revenues outside of property taxes total just over $111 million, slightly higher than 2025 levels.
Officials said the use of surplus funds and stable revenue streams are key to avoiding a tax rate increase, even as overall spending climbs.
Rising costs across departments
The budget reflects increased costs across several major areas, including debt service, capital improvements, and employee benefits.
Health insurance remains a major expense, with the county allocating $81.4 million for employee group insurance in 2026. Debt service and capital-related costs also make up a significant portion of the budget, alongside funding for county colleges, vocational schools, and social services programs.
Growth continues across Ocean County
The budget comes as Ocean County continues to see rapid growth in property values and development. The county’s total valuation has climbed to more than $193 billion in 2026, up from an estimated $176.5 billion in 2025. That growth has allowed the county to generate more revenue without increasing the tax rate, though residents may still see higher tax bills depending on property assessments.
One of the most glaring increases in the budget was the massive expansion of the county’s public affairs department, which has hired political insiders and public officials to manage media and public information services for the county.
In 2025, the county spent $550,000 on public affairs. In 2026, the county is anticipating $1.5 million, a 300% increase. In recent months, the county has hired several public information officers including political friends, elected officials, and family members of public officials.
Public hearing scheduled
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 15 at the Ocean County Administration Building in Toms River, where residents will have the opportunity to raise questions or objections before final adoption.
County officials said the budget was developed over several months through meetings with departments and agencies, with a focus on maintaining services while managing costs.
