Toms river mayor hill mo hill now says seniors can talk to town about 50% property tax hike

TOMS RIVER, NJ – Since finding out their property taxes were rising as much as 50%, residents of Toms River’s Holiday City Silverton had no recourse with local officials. Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill repeatedly claim the situation was out of his control.

When asked at a town council meeting by Councilman Dan Rodrick to provide the residents of Holiday City some form of relief with the property assessment company hired by Hill, the mayor said it would be “illegal” for him to interfere.

Please for help also fell on deaf ears with Council President Kevin Geoghegan. At a recent town council meeting, Geoghegan delivered harsh words to the senior citizens of Holiday City.

“In life, you pay taxes and you die,” Geoghegan said. “It is what it is.”

Geoghegan said the residents of Holiday City have not historically paid their fair share of taxes and the latest reassessment brought their taxes in line with the rest of the township.

Now, after weeks of complaints, Hill sent a letter to the community offering them to meet with the mayor in a town hall format.

Hill will host a town hall meeting at the Toms River Senior Center on Friday, March 4th at 9:00 am. Instead of helping residents work with his appraiser, Hill will be explaining how to file a tax appeal, apply for a senior tax freeze and says he will provide “accurate” information directly to residents.

“To RSVP or request transportation please email gallagher@tomsrivertownship.com or call 732-341-1000 ext 8469,” said Art Gallagher, confidential secretary to Mo Hill. Gallagher was hired by Hill in January to produce press releases and take photo op pictures of Hill at an $89,000 annual salary.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.