Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Revaluation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Essex County orders Montclair revaluation; inspections expected fall 2026, new values to take effect in 2028
Summary
The Essex County Board of Taxation ordered a township-wide property revaluation for Montclair; municipal staff said updated tax maps are expected to be approved by the state in fall 2026, inspections would begin after that and new valuations will apply to the 2028 tax year, while PILOT payments will not change automatically.
Montclair — Township Manager Steven Marks told residents on Feb. 12 that the Essex County Board of Taxation ordered a townwide revaluation that must be completed by Oct. 1, 2027, and that the new valuations will be used for the 2028 tax year.
Marks explained the steps: the township must update and submit tax maps to the New Jersey Department of Taxation (an iterative process that often requires several rounds of revision), the town expects state approval of maps in fall 2026, and property inspections would follow. He stressed that a revaluation adjusts assessed values to market conditions rather than increasing total tax revenue: the pie may be divided differently among property types, but the same total levy is apportioned among taxing authorities.
During Q&A an auditor and other residents raised a separate concern about PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes). The auditor noted examples such as a large development he said was built at $80 million, assessed for less in town records, and argued that PILOT payments do not change as part of a revaluation — which can shift greater relative burden onto residential taxpayers. The auditor urged reconsidering future PILOT deals.
Manager Marks repeated the county board’s deadline and said the town will post revaluation materials online for residents. He said inspections are likely to begin after state sign-off on maps and that new assessments would be reflected in the 2028 tax year.
What’s next: Residents who want to appeal an individual reassessment will have procedures to follow once new assessments are posted; the township will publish revaluation documents online and expects the county-ordered schedule to drive the town’s preparatory steps.
