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Mayor McCormick defends long‑term tax‑exemption pilots after public criticism; council adopts related ordinances by consent
Summary
Council took up two long‑term tax‑exemption ordinances by consent. Councilwoman McAuliffe abstained; a resident criticized the abatements and asked for funds be used for tax relief. Mayor McCormick gave detailed revenue figures and said pilot revenues fund school debt service and community services.
The Woodbridge Town Council took by consent two ordinances on second and third reading related to long‑term tax exemption (pilot) agreements for downtown Main Street and properties at Woodbridge Center.
Councilwoman McAuliffe announced an abstention on letter e, citing a possible conflict because she said she is a “business owner on Main Street” and did not want to be involved. The public hearing on both ordinances was opened and closed; both ordinances were adopted and submitted to the mayor for approval as required by law.
Resident Ken Gardner spoke during public comment against tax abatements for new or existing businesses, asked why McAuliffe abstained and urged that revenue from pilot programs be set aside for property tax relief. Gardner said residents oppose additional apartment construction and questioned giving abatements to established businesses.
Mayor McCormick responded with a detailed defense of the township’s pilot program and the revenue it brings. He described pilot agreements as a “discount” rather than an elimination of tax payments and said revenues from pilots have funded debt service on school referenda and other municipal needs. On the record he cited specific figures: AccuReference Labs (which took the former Lord & Taylor building) will pay “18 and a half million dollars to this town over the next 30 years,” and the Vito Mazda deal will pay “$13,200,000 over the next 30 years.” The mayor said the township currently receives about $28 million annually from pilot agreements and expects that to grow to roughly $35 million within two years as projects come on line.
The mayor said pilot revenue has helped keep the tax burden lower for homeowners and fund large school projects approved by referenda, including a 2017 referendum the mayor characterized as $87 million and a 2020 referendum of $58 million. He said pilot revenues are first dedicated to debt service and then used across the budget, including for roads, sewers, parks and tax relief.
Council votes were taken by voice via the consent calendar; detailed roll‑call tallies were not provided in the transcript. Where members declared conflicts or abstentions, those were noted on the record: Councilwoman McAuliffe abstained on at least letter e and indicated an ongoing abstention stance on related items.
The council also handled first‑reading ordinances and a slate of resolutions by consent during the same meeting. Several council members recorded abstentions on specific resolutions (for example, abstentions noted for resolu tions numbered 32 and 34).
