Monmouth County residents: I received this letter in the mail today from Vin Gopal. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but a letter like this shows such a gross and shocking misunderstanding of how property taxes work, that I fear what damage he might do to all of us, should he win.
I handle property tax appeals as part of my law practice. Here is how it works, basically: the property you own is given an assessed value by the local tax assessor or by a revaluation company. In most counties, that assessment will remain the same year after year, until the town decides to perform a revaluation or a reassessment.
Whether your assessed value is $100,000 or $1,000,000, either way, your town needs a certain number of dollars in the kitty each year in order to operate. Take the amount of money the town needs divided by their total assessments, and the quotient is called the “general tax rate.” The property tax dollars you pay is the product of your assessed value times the general tax rate. Read the rest of this entry »
The Fallen Firefighters Memorial was dedicated at the Monmouth County Fire Academy in Howell on Sunday morning during a moving ceremony that commemorated the courage of the 47 heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting the lives and property of county residents from 1881 through 2017. Read the rest of this entry »
Frantz Paraison 37, of Neptune Township and Shaezeel Collins, 37, of Toms River were shot dead on the 500 block of Sayre Street on Friday afternoon. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office identified the victim in a statement on Saturday afternoon.
At about 4:30 p.m. Friday, Neptune Police responded to a 911 call for two gunshots victims. Upon Officers arrival, they found Paraison and Collins inside a gray 2004 Acura MDX . Read the rest of this entry »
photos courtesy of Minster Steve Brigham Minister Steve Brigham, the founder of Destiny’s Bridge , the non-profit organization that operates the homeless camp in Howell, announced on facebook this morning that the organization is seeking to find alternative housing for residents of the camp for the winter months.
Brigham opened the Howell camp last year with the agreement of the Township. Prior to that, the minister operated Tent City in Lakewood for many years, taking care of as many as 130 homeless people, before Lakewood officials shutdown and demolished the camp while providing temporary rental assistance to 60 residents. Read the rest of this entry »
Protesting during the National Anthem has become the sanctioned cultural message of the NFL. Here are some great things to in Monmouth County on Sunday instead of watching football.
Freehold, NJ- The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #30, Monmouth County Superior Officers’ Association, supports the reelection of Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry announced the association’s president, Shawn Reece.
“Public Safety is one of the most important functions of county government,” Reece said. “Freeholder Director Burry has always recognized that truth and as the liaison to the Sheriff’s Office has made sure that our members have the support, training and resources we need to keep Monmouth County a safe and secure place to live and raise our families. Read the rest of this entry »
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, the GOP nominee for NJ Governor, released a new television ad this morning contrasting herself with former Goldman Sachs banker Phil Murphy, the Democrat nominee.
“Your election is not only critical to the small-business owners in your district, but also to protecting free enterprise across the state,” wrote State Director Laurie Ehlbeck in letters to the legislators.
“Small-business owners are the backbone of our economy and collectively provide most of the jobs in the New Jersey,” said Thompson. “It is my privilege to fight for them. I am honored to have the support and partnership of the NFIB/NJPAC.” Read the rest of this entry »
Monmouth County Freeholders proclaim Infinite Love of Kids Fighting Cancer Day
As an elected official, you have the chance to meet hundreds of people during your tenure. I would like to share a story about a few special people I had the honor of recently meeting in person during a meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
It all started a couple weeks ago when I was reading through a local newspaper and came across a story about a charity event held to raise funds for pediatric cancer research. As part of the fundraiser, members of the community, including first responders, volunteered to have their heads shaved by children. Helping to coordinate the event was the Gorsegner family of Middletown. Read the rest of this entry »
In the NJ gubernatorial race, Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno, the GOP nominee believes in standing for the National Anthem. Former Goldman Sachs banker Phil Murphy, the Democrat, applauds the NFL players who are taking a knee during the patriotic opening ceremonies of their games.
“As the mother of an Air Force pilot, I believe this is a no-brainer. When that national anthem comes on, no matter who you are or what issues you may have, you should stand and salute our flag. Our anthem should and must stay above the partisan political fray,” said Guadagno on Facebook. Read the rest of this entry »
Freehold, NJ- The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #30, Monmouth County Superior Officers’ Association, supports the reelection of Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry announced the association’s president, Shawn Reece.
