By ROBERT LINNEHAN
After its regularly scheduled committee meeting earlier this week, Voorhees had to postpone its decision on a new revaluation for township properties.
Township Administrator Larry Spellman said the ordinance was delayed until May 16 so members of the committee could meet with the township assessor and solicitor to review the 2011 financial figures for the 371 tax appeals filed by residents this year.
If approved, the township would pay for a $300,000 adjustment to level the property values after a 2005 township reevaluation. Unfortunately, after the $800,000 reevaluation in 2005, the property market started to crash. Since 2005, the township has had to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars to homeowners in town who have filed tax appeals for their property.
The assessor, committee, and solicitor will review the 2011 financial analysis of the tax appeals, Spellman said. If its found that the township is again paying back a high amount for the appeals, the revaluation will likely be approved.
In 2010, the township had 334 tax appeals, Spellman said. The township had to refund nearly $500,000 in taxes for the appeals that were upheld, he said.
Spellman also stressed that when the township completes a reevaluation the total property taxes coming into the township does not change. Spellman said many residents accused the township of complete the reevaluation in 2005 to increase taxes coming into the municipality, but he said this was not true.
