Stockton ups ante for tax maps

The Borough Council will set aside $1,000 more — $8,000 — to update the maps in case the state orders modifications.

By: Linda Seida
   STOCKTON — The Borough Council proposed Monday to spend $8,000, rather than $7,000 as previously discussed, to update the town’s tax maps in digital form.
   The council will hold a public hearing and vote on the expenditure Feb. 14.
   The $1,000 difference will cover additional engineering costs if the state orders modifications after reviewing the new maps, Finance Committee Chairman Andrew Giannattasio said.
   The tax maps must be updated before a county-ordered revaluation of all property in the borough can be performed.
   Stockton’s tax maps have not been updated in about 20 years, according to Councilman Stephen Giocondo. The state rejected the current maps in August.
   It could take between 60 and 90 days for the town’s engineering firm, Hopewell Valley Engineering, to update the maps and six months for the maps to receive approval from the state before the revaluation can proceed, Mr. Giannattasio said.
   Councilman Michael Hagerty said a resident asked him why the town must pay for new tax maps if the county already has tax maps on file. Mr. Giannattasio said he, too, has heard similar questions.
   The tax maps on file with the county are copies of the same outdated ones the borough is being forced to update, Mr. Giannattasio said. The county receives its copy of the maps from the borough.
   By putting the maps into digital form instead of keeping them in pen-and-paper format, future updates can be performed by computer, making them easier and less expensive, according to Mr. Giannattasio.
   The revaluation itself will cost the borough about $25,400. The revaluation will be performed by Vital Services Group of Trenton.
   Hunterdon County ordered the revaluation in 2003.
   Borough officials hope to complete the revaluation in 2005.