Resident urges Middletown to opt out of Monmouth County's real-time property assessment pilot

At the Dec. 1 meeting, resident Mark Sampraski of Powell Avenue urged the Middletown Township Committee to move the municipality off Monmouth County's real-time property tax assessment pilot, arguing the system creates instability and harms seniors.

Sampraski: "A 5-year experiment has turned into a system that no other county in New Jersey uses. . . Annual reassessments have produced double digit increases with values rising around 11% in a single year. For seniors, families on fixed incomes, or young families trying to budget, that is not stability, that is uncertainty." He listed nearby towns that opted out and said the township should "lead Monmouth County in rejecting this failed pilot and returning to the stable, predictable assessment model used everywhere else in New Jersey."

Mayor Perry responded at length, disputing some characterizations and saying the RDP pilot was limited to two counties (Monmouth and Somerset). He also criticized the Board of Education's recently adopted budget, saying in part, "You cannot hide from that fact . . . we voted for a 10.1% increase," and argued that residents should consider all portions of the property tax bill when assessing causes of increases.

The exchange on Dec. 1 was a public comment and sparring between a resident and the mayor; the committee did not take formal action to opt the township out of the pilot during the meeting. The record includes Sampraski's detailed assertions about neighboring towns and percentage figures; the transcript records the claims but does not include independent supporting data or a committee directive to staff.

Next steps: Sampraski asked the committee to act; the transcript does not record a motion or referral on Dec. 1. Residents seeking changes to assessment participation would require further action by the committee and coordination with county officials.