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High Bridge residents press council over rising property assessments and tax bills
Summary
At the Feb. 22 meeting residents repeatedly raised concerns about rising property assessments and high taxes, pressed for clearer communication from the County Tax Board and urged local officials to explore options including consolidation and a town hall; councilmembers said assessments are controlled by the county and reported a search for a new Tax Assessor.
Mayor Michele Lee opened the Borough of High Bridge council meeting on Feb. 22 by answering residents’ repeated questions about property tax assessments and how they affect bills.
Multiple residents spoke during the public-comment period, citing steep assessment increases and urging the council to pursue measures to reduce tax burdens. Rich Refallo and Jeff Shepherd urged consolidation or service reductions to lower costs; Christian (Chris) Rites and Isabelle Basile asked for clearer notices about interior inspections tied to the reassessment program. Mayor Lee explained that the County Tax Board controls the assessment process and encouraged residents to consult tax professionals while the borough pursues additional communication and outreach.
Council members described steps the borough is taking to limit local spending and seek outside funding. Councilman Silvestri listed recent savings on engineering and utility projects; Administrator Brett Bartman confirmed the borough is actively searching for a new Tax Assessor and an annual reassessment officer. Councilwoman Ferry said she has been communicating with the Board of Education and state representatives about school-budget impacts and requested better county-level information for residents.
Several residents pressed for a town-hall meeting focused on reassessment and for clarification of how different parts of the tax bill (municipal, school, county) contribute to total tax liabilities. Vin Schweikert and others raised questions about golf-course expenses and how they appear in the budget; Mayor Lee said the upcoming budget presentation will include those details.
The meeting record shows high public engagement on this subject but no formal action to change assessment authority; the council noted the limits of local power over the county-controlled reassessment process and emphasized next steps: continued outreach, a possible town-hall discussion, and work to finalize the municipal budget in April.
The council proceeded with other agenda items, including votes on ordinances and resolutions, after the public-comment period.
