Bergen County tops NJ in property tax bills

March 24--New Jersey's average property tax bill grew just over 1 percent last year, to $7,988. But in Bergen County _ where the bills already easily exceed the statewide average _ property taxes increased to the highest in the state in 2013, according to new data released by the state Department of Community Affairs.

Factoring in all municipal, school and county taxes, bills in Bergen County jumped to an average of $10,642 in 2013, a 1.5 percent increase from the year before. That increase pushed Bergen County past Essex County as the costliest for homeowners in New Jersey in 2013.

In Passaic County, property tax bills went up 1.75 percent on average last year, to $9,368. Passaic County ranked fifth statewide behind Bergen; Essex, $10,590; Union County, $9,932; and Morris County, $9,547.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest average property tax bills were the $3,706 paid by homeowners in Cumberland County, followed by Cape May, $4,557; Salem, $4,871; Ocean, $5,470; and Camden, $5,957.

Property tax bills have long been a top concern for New Jersey voters. Governor Christie, a Republican, persuaded the Democrats who control the Legislature to pass a 2 percent cap on property tax levy increases in 2010 and that has helped restrain growth. Bills increased by $103 on average from 2012 to 2013, less than the $126 increase measured from 2011 to 2012, and the $183 from 2010 to 2011.

But the cap included several exceptions that allow towns, county governments and school boards to exceed the limit for spending on debt payments, public employee benefits and response to disasters.

The figures released by the state on Thursday did not track the increase in special fees that some towns have been levying as a way to get around the property tax cap, a loophole Christie has been pressing lawmakers to close. And they don't show how many homeowners have seen a net increase in their property tax burden because of cuts Christie and lawmakers made to the state's Homestead property tax relief program in 2010.

In Demarest, where the average property tax bill went up 3.3 percent, to $17,120, Councilman Joseph Gray said borough officials were working hard to keep municipal spending in check.

"Expenses are going up for everyone in the county," Gray said. "It's like in every household, costs go up."

"Municipalities are the same way, except it's a bigger family," he said. "Insurance goes up. All the costs go up."

Property tax bills in Wayne went up just over 1 percent in 2013, to $11,288, but Mayor Christopher Vergano said that holding property taxes steady was "getting more and more difficult."

Wayne has cut 41 positions from township government over the last six years, but it is nearing the "end of the line eliminating positions," Vergano said.

"The biggest problem is maintaining the same level of services with 41 less people," he said, "and I think we're doing that."

Christie administration officials focused on Thursday on the slowed rate of growth in the state's average property tax bill.

"By any measure, Governor Christie's property tax reforms have been a resounding success as demonstrated by the third straight year of property tax restraint with more than 160 communities seeing either decreases in taxes or increases of less than 1 percent," said Richard Constable, commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs.

Constable also made a pitch for an extension of a cap on the raises that can be awarded to police and firefighter unions when they can't reach an agreement with local officials and have to go to binding arbitration. That cap, also passed in 2010 and set at 2 percent, included a sunset provision and will expire on April 1 unless lawmakers act to extend it.

Local officials from both parties say the cap has been effective in controlling property taxes.

Woodland Park Mayor Keith Kazmark was among those in Trenton on Thursday for a news conference calling for the cap to be extended. Property taxes went up in 2013 in Woodland Park, an increase Kazmark said was due to county and school tax rate increases.

"Theoretically arbitrators can come back with awards for police and fire that are binding that exceed 2 percent, that's not going to be in line with the 2 percent levy," he said. "Municipal officials and county officials are worried about this."

Democratic legislative leaders have yet to take a firm position on the issue, but signaled a vote could be held before the cap expires.

"I'm confident that everyone will be able to come together on a final plan that will allow us to move forward for the benefit of the taxpayers before the expiration deadline," said Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, D-Secaucus.

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