New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the nation. Combine these steep property tax rates with a faltering economy and skyrocketing home energy costs, and you will discover a real hardship for many older New Jersey residents living on fixed incomes. The Senior Property Tax Freeze is now being, well, frozen, which will affect many older New Jerseyans.
This is state budget crunch time, and many important programs are being adversely affected, including the Senior Property Tax Freeze. Anyone who might have been eligible to apply for the freeze this year will be effectively shut out of the program. Those already benefiting from the program as of last year will still be eligible, but their tax freeze rate will not reflect any increase in property tax rates. This means that their property tax freeze rate will be the same as last year’s even if their property taxes go up.
If you agree that the Senior Property Tax Freeze needs to be unfrozen, please get in touch with your legislator. The state budget is clearly a challenge, but surely it does not need to be balanced on the backs of the most vulnerable in the state.
Patricia John AARP volunteer
Pennington