More Than 900 Lacey Tax Appeals Made in 2012

The township has reported that 903 tax appeals were made this year, which is an upswing from previous years, Mayor Mark Dykoff said.

“It has definitely increased as the companies that do the appeals have advertised,” he said. “The success rate has also increased…It’s really a valid appeal. From when we did tax appeals to this point, real estate values have dropped.”

It will all even out in the end but until then, the township and residents are impacted by those appeals, Dykoff said.

“It effects how we administer our budget,” he said. “In a nutshell, people appealing their taxes, who were successful, their (taxes) go down and it impacts their neighbors.”

He added that if someone appeals his or her taxes and then proceeds to go for a home equity loan or refinancing, the bank takes that into account.

“What you’re doing is you're affecting your neighbors,” he said. “Everyone was reassessed at the same time based on the same criteria. Unfortunately at that time, real estate values were higher. Those who don’t appeal taxes are making up for the people who are.”

The township sets aside approximately $30,000 in the budget each year to defend appeals, Township Administrator Veronica Laureigh said. 

“As to the cost it all depends on each case. Some are a simple as negotiating with the assessor based on the comps that are supplied or an appraisal,” Laureigh said. “Others require use of our attorney and or professional appraiser to appear before County Tax Board and some times with the bigger appeals before the state tax board.”

Dykoff said many appeals get settled before reaching court.

As of April 30, the township had spent more than $7,000 on defending tax appeals.

Lacey’s assessment was done approximately three years ago and municipalities are mandated to do a reassessment every nine years, Dykoff said. It costs the township $700,000 to do a reassessment.

Resident Regina Discenza was a large proponent of tax appeals at township committee meetings in 2011 and 2012.

“I would like to congratulate all the people who were brave enough to make the decision to do a tax appeal,” she said during the last committee meeting. “For those who missed the deadline and have regrets, plan to do it next year by watching the sales of homes in your neighborhood.

Discenza said the process is simple—just note the address of a house for sale in your neighborhood and follow up on the sales price and date.

For more information, visit Ocean County’s tax appeal page.

Below is the breakdown of tax appeals and what the township has spent over the years. Numbers for tax appeals from previous years could not be provided since the tax assessor was different.

Lacey has:

• 67 Vacant Land appeals, 40 of which will be affirmed directly to the Tax Court of New Jersey.
• 821 Residential appeals, 3 of which will be affirmed to the state
• 1 Farmhouse appeal (property class 3A) 
• 11 Commercial appeals, 8 of which may be affirmed to the state level if not settled (due to their assessments exceeding $1 million)
• 3 Industrial property appeals also with assessments exceeding $1 million 

Lacey has spent:

• $3,257.00 in 2008
• $24,541.00 in 2009
• $17,597.00 in 2010
• $27,356.00 in 2011
• $7,675.00 to date in 2012