FAQs • South Orange Village, NJ • CivicEngage

CAN I APPEAL MY TAXES?: Under State law, the actual tax on a property cannot be appealed. However, an aggrieved property owner can file an appeal with regard to the assessment of value. The tax rate and a tax assessment are two distinctly different things, which sometimes are confused. The tax rate is determined by the dollar amount needed to operate South Orange, our School District, and Essex County, while the tax assessment provides the value upon which to apportion the taxes. Taxpayers can appeal a tax assessment, but not a tax rate.

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Property Re-Assessment

1. WILL TAXPAYERS BE INFORMED OF THEIR PROPOSED ASSESSMENT?: The Revaluation firm is required to mail each taxpayer a notice of advising him/her of the new appraised value once completed.

2. WHAT IS EXPECTED OF PROPERTY OWNERS?: A prospective buyer would not be expected to purchase a property without first making a careful inspection. Similarly, an individual ordering an appraisal expects that a thorough inspection will be made before a market value estimate of the property is rendered. Equitable reassessment depends on the cooperation of taxpayers. Property owners have a stake in the outcome of the reassessment program. Interior inspections, especially, require that residents cooperate with the property inspectors. The validity of the market vale estimate depends on the collection of accurate data. Remember the people making the inspections are not necessarily responsible for developing the market value estimate. Their job at time of inspection is to collect pertinent information to be used in valuation process.

3. WHAT HAS TO BE DONE DURING A REVALUATION PROGRAM?: Both the interior and exterior of each property are usually physically inspected, and building dimensions are noted during this process. In addition, recent sales of properties are studied and may be adjusted to estimate the value of property that has not been sold. In short, all information believed to have an influence on value will be gathered, reviewed and analyzed in order to make a proper determination of each property's full and fair value.

4. WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR A REVALUATION?: A revaluation program seeks to spread the tax burden equitably within a municipality. Real property must be assessed at the same standard of value to ensure that every property owner is paying his or her fair share of the property tax.

5. WHAT IS MEANT BY FULL AND FAIR VALUE?: Full and fair value is the price at which the tax assessor believes a property would sell at a fair and bona fide sale by a private contract on October 1st of the pre tax year. the sale must be between a willing buyer and a willing seller.

6. WHAT IS A REVALUATION?: A revaluation is a program undertaken by a municipality to appraise all real property within taxing district according to its full and fair value.

7. WHEN WILL THE RESULTS OF THE REVALUATION BE APPLIED?: New property assessments resulting from the Revaluation become effective January 1, 2024. However, new assessments are not reflected in the tax bill until the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2024.

8. IS THERE AN APPEAL PROCESS IF I DISAGREE WITH THE NEW ASSESSMENT?: If you are dissatisfied with your assessment, you can file a formal appeal in 2024 with the Essex County Board of Taxation, which must be received prior to May 1, 2024. Your appeal will be heard by a Commissioner of the Board of Taxation; and, you will be given an opportunity to state the reasons you believe your assessment is inaccurate. After reviewing the facts presented, the Board will render a decision as to whether an adjustment is in order. If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Board of Taxation, you have the right to file an appeal with the Tax Court of the State of New Jersey. This must be done within 45 days of your notification. This step in the process is formal, taking place in a courtroom setting before a Tax Court Judge.

9. CAN I APPEAL MY TAXES?: Under State law, the actual tax on a property cannot be appealed. However, an aggrieved property owner can file an appeal with regard to the assessment of value. The tax rate and a tax assessment are two distinctly different things, which sometimes are confused. The tax rate is determined by the dollar amount needed to operate South Orange, our School District, and Essex County, while the tax assessment provides the value upon which to apportion the taxes. Taxpayers can appeal a tax assessment, but not a tax rate.

10. WHAT IS THE NEW TAX RATE?: The new tax rate will be determined after the School District, Essex County, and South Orange finalize their 2024 budgets.