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Resident urges Bedminster to flag possible abuses of Farmland Assessment Act
Summary
At public comment, resident Steve Resavi urged the township to notify applicants and for municipal officials to scrutinize farmland-assessment applications after state changes to thresholds and penalties were passed earlier this year.
Steve Resavi, a Bedminster resident, used the public-comment period to press the township to help deter misuse of the Farmland Assessment Act.
"I do have what issue I do have is with people that scam the Farmland Assessment Act and expect their less fortunate neighbors to pay their real estate taxes," Resavi said, urging local scrutiny of applications and increased verification by the tax assessor. He noted that changes passed in January will raise production thresholds and fines for false statements, and suggested town-issued notices to inform applicants of the new requirements.
Town staff and committee members responded that while changing state law is a legislative responsibility, the municipality can take steps to notify residents. The committee also emphasized that the local tax assessor reports to the Somerset County Tax Board and that municipalities are limited in directing that official; the Somerset County board was suggested as another venue for concerns.
The exchange ended without formal action; Resavi said he was not calling for blanket denials but asked the assessor to "start denying applicants" when documentation is clearly false. The committee agreed staff could post informational notices and direct residents to state resources about the updated electronic application process.
