TRENTON-A report by New Jersey 101.5 shows that tax rates in Lacey Township, Stafford Township, Toms River and Lakewood far out paced their neighbors in 2016. The report shows Lacey Township with a 4.9% increase, more than double the state cap imposed by Governor Chris Christie.
Stafford Township saw a 5.4% increase, Lakewood residents saw a 5.1% increase and in Toms River the increase was 5.3%, blamed mostly on the loss of tax ratables from the barrier island in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
Toms River Township’s barrier island community of Ortley Beach was ground zero for the devastating storm that obliterated entire neighborhoods, many still trying to rebuild.
The least impacted tax rate of a large town in the county was felt in Jackson Township where the administration of Mayor Michael Reina (R) kept the rate down to 1.90%, despite already having the highest tax rate amongst the larger municipalities in the county after years of excessive tax increases in prior administrations.
In Brick, Ocean County’s only “blue” or Democrat controlled township, the 2016 tax increase was 3.01%, 1.01% above the state’s 2% property tax cap.
Photo: Gary Quinn, Lacey Township committeeman and a former mayor of the small township of Lacey where the average tax increase for families was over $500 per year.
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