Tax Board Rejects Curley’s Call To Suspend Assessment Program

Prosecutor Mum On Whether He Will Investigate Anonymous Allegations

Freeholder John P. Curley

The Monmouth County Board of Taxation voted unanimously on Friday to reject Freeholder John Curley’s call that they suspend their new method of assessing values on properties in the county for property tax purposes.

Curley’s call to suspend the program came last week after he said received an anonymous letter from a group of realtors, appraisers, tax assessors and former tax assessors alleging that the program, “Tax Assessment Demonstration Program,” is not being implemented in accordance with the law that created it and implying that Matthew Clark, the Tax Board Administrator, has inappropriate dealings with the program vendors.

Curley referred the anonymous letter to Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, declaring in his own letter to the prosecutor that it is “omnipotent (sic) that all government business be conducted with full transparency, ethical and legal standards.”   Curley also wrote Tax Board President James Stuart to request the tax assessment program be suspended while Gramiccioni investigates.  He then released the anonymous letter and his letters to Gramiccioni and Stuart to the Asbury Park Press.

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Christie nominates Cliff Moore to the Monmouth County Tax Board

Cliff Moore

Governor Chris Christie has nominated Clifford J. Moore, III of Hazlet to the Monmouth County Board of Taxation.

If confirmed by the State Senate, Moore will replace Daniel M. Kelly of Little Silver on the board.  Kelly resigned last month due to professional commitments.

Moore is the president of the Keyport Bayfront Business Cooperative , past president of the Northern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, and co-chair of the Hazlet Business Owners Association Economic Development Committee. Moore ran for Hazlet Township Committee, as a Democrat, last November.  He is an owner of seven business in Hazlet and Keyport.

The Monmouth County Board of Taxation is comprised of four Republicans and three Democrats. Moore is taking a Democratic seat. The party of the incumbent governor holds the majority.

Matthew S. Clark, the Monmouth County Tax Administrator, said that the commissioners have a “broader, taller responsibility” than they have had in years past, as Monmouth is the first county in New Jersey to implement the Assessment Demonstration Program signed into law by Governor Christie in March.   The Assessment Demonstration Program is “true property tax reform,” according to Clark, which includes online appeals and creates assessment precision.  The online appeals process is a shared service that the Tax Board is offering to other counties to generate revenue and reduce the tax burden on Monmouth County property owners.

The commissioners hear tax appeal cases, certify property tax rates, certify the county’s equalization table, oversee the administration of county tax assessments, and certify the annual added assessments from Monmouth’s municipalities.

Commissioners on the Tax Board earn a salary of $18,000 per year.  Clark did not know if new commissioners receive health benefits are part of their compensation.   The Governor’s press office as yet to respond to an inquiry regarding health benefits for tax commissioners.

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