At the Long Branch City Council meeting on Sept. 10, resident Vincent Lepore criticized the municipal government’s use of tax abatements and retention of surpluses, saying those policies had increased property tax burdens for city residents.

Lepore said the Board of Education had lost roughly $1.3 million a year to developer abatements since 2005 and accused the city of contributing to increased school and county taxes by approving abated development such as Pier Village 3. He also criticized the mayor and council for keeping $6,680,000 in surplus funds in the 2025 municipal budget rather than applying them for taxpayer relief and cited line items for public events and recreation spending as examples of irresponsible municipal outlays.

Mayor Pallone and other officials responded during the public‑comment period, explaining the municipal role in the property tax system. A council speaker said the Board of Education "strikes a budget" and the county "strikes a tax rate," and that tax abatements do not reduce the amount the Board of Education receives; the speaker said the city functions as the collector and distributor of property tax payments, not as the determiner of school or county budgets.

The mayor’s office referred questions about the precise accounting and the Board of Education’s revenue to the school board and county; no formal council action resulted from the comments. Lepore’s assertions and the council response reflect differing views on the local effects of tax abatements, and officials said the city’s authority over school and county tax levies is limited.

The council did not adopt immediate policy changes in response to the comments; council members thanked Lepore for his remarks and reiterated the limits of municipal control over school and county budget decisions.