Taxpayers Air Their Gripes at Open STA Meeting in the News
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New Jersey has the most physically inactive residents ? Don't believe everything you hear. See 'Setting the record straight' on page five Summit Herald ...Summit's only real newspaper Vol.95 No. 2 Saturday, August 13,1983 Price: 25' In the Taxpayers air their gripes at open STA meeting ByPEGTHURLER rather (hthe best qualifiedqualified.. forr senior citizens, including a deduction Thee fair market value, on which ththee Harraka said that Ihe tataxx exempt law is SUMMIT -— The recent re-assessment "FoForr that reason re-assessment iiss of $250 off their bill if they have an inin-- assessments were based, was taken frofrom "general," lhat he is in fafavov r of putting a of residential and commercial property prpreferable erable lto revaluatomrevaluatoin,, " MacLeod come of less than $10,00$ 10,0000 aa yearyear.. the past two years of sales. Harraka said municipal service charge (on all land in was the spark that ignited a barrage of said. Hugo Pfaltz, representing Basset! something not predicted happened in 1983 Summil, thai none should be exempt. He news questions and statements critical of its Harraka explained the "fair market Associates asked, "Why isn't the City of and prices "shot through the ceiling." He said no decision has yet been reached in results during an open meeting of the value" approach to figuring out the .Summit encouraging he development of doesn't known why older homes suddenly the courts on Overlook Hospital's garage Summit Taxpayers Association Wednes- assessed value of a property, which means business?" became attractive. A complete analysis case, in which it claims the garage should day evening. twhat the market will bear. Values since He expressed concern over the dropp- has to be done to protect everyone, he be exempt from taxes even though a fee is More than 150 people listened to a the last assessment in 1972 have continued ing commercial assessments, reflecting a noted. charged for parking there. The garage is panel of experts in the fields of tax assess- to appreciate, to increase in value, he told loss in value in relation to the residential assessed at $3.4 million. Trouble the audience. And the trend continues, he COVIELLO OUTLINES ing, finance, law and real estate during a properties. APPEAL PROCESS Bogumil gave a rundown on assessed discussion monitored by Richard Gilbert. noted, with the "desirability and need to "I would love to pay more taxes on my locate in Suhimit still great." Larry Ross asked the panel, "What is values of lax exempt properties wo: in .' Something has to be done about the Then came the tough questions — from commercial property," he said. "Com- Ihe ultimate recourse of an appeal in New total of $196 million. Overlook lops the noise in Memorial Park after dark. Local homeowne who had dug into the lax Panel member and STA trustee Joseph mon Council has gone out of its way to Jersey?" list vvilh 53 properties worth $54 million. residents have taken to calling the Herald assessor's SJIS of i'igu to disgruntled Coviello, attorney and former Municipal debase my commercial property. Coviello outlined the steps to take, star- Court cases pending involve eight proper- to voice their complaints. Apparently, owners who wanted to appeal their assess- Court judge, said that a 15 percent Button replied, "I believe we have pro- ting wth filling mil forms from the Union lies owned by Overlook on ihe i=sue of groups of juveniles stay in the park long ment figures, owners of commercial pro- '" 'tude is given to the assessors. tected property values by limiting office County Tax Board of Appeals in taxation. The garage is an additional pro- after closing and have been causing a perty with their own particular gripes. "If it is within that range it is fair," development." Elizabeth. Deadline for such filing is Aug. perty currendy being assessed during the general disturbance to those who live in One question after another bombarded Coviello said. Harraka suggested that Pfaltz submit 15, a phone call to 527-4000 will expedite litigation. the area. th panel as they sat in the auditorium of Realtor MacLeod presented figures to new income analysis, and "we will review the request that a form be mailed. After Chariiable properties account for $31 the Central Presbyterian Church. Calls show that in 1983 "prices of homes took it." the county appeal, filings can be made at million. Nine public school buildings are for reforms of the present system of pro- off like rockets." In the sales he studied, VALUE OF OLDER the Appellate and Supreme Court levels, assessed at $30 million, naming the lop perty assessment were directed to panel only 6.5 percent had assessments higher HOMES RESEARCHED with time limitations complicating the assessment figures. member and Common Councilman than their sales prices. Lenore Ford had researched figures process. A decision on the appeal musl be "It is the property owner who is carry- Mustangsfall Thomas Button. For commercial property, Coviello relating to older homes. She and David made by Nov. 15. ing these costs," said Bogumil. "The 196 "The re-assessment cost the city said, assessment was done partly on Ihe Rau quoted assessed values and selling PROPERTY OWNERS CARRY million figure represents 18.3 percent of The Summit Unico Mustangs fell in $150,000," noted Button, a job lhat was basis of amount of income it has brought prices of a list of large, older homes BURDEN OF TAX the total saleable property in Summit. three games to Westfield in the playoffs done by Appraisal Systems, Inc. and Ap- in, because so few re-sales took place dur- around town that indicated, in Ford's EXEMPT PROPERTIES Overlook owns more than one-fourth of of the New Jersey Intra-County League. praisal Consultants. ing the time period used for study. For words, "that many older homes are gross- Henry Vaugle asked two questions the exempt property and it is still expan- Summit lost the first game 2-0 hut bounc- "How can someone who doesn't know those with complaints, he recommended ly and flagrantly under assessed." ding." expressing their feelings to the mayor and relating to figures presented by Summit ed back in game two behind the arm of the town come in from out of town and Harraka replied he didn't know why Taxpayers Association President Lucia George Williams vice president of STA, Frank Gagliano, 3-0. But in (he rubber do the job?" asked Jack Pyle. to Common Council on assessment in older homes suddenly became attractive general. Bogumil, on tax exempt properties in concluded ihe open meeting with an in- game Westfield outslugged the Mustangs Real estate expert Don MacLeod ex- in 1983. A house valued at $306,800 sold Summit. vitation to join the Summit Taxpayers 7-5. Summit finished the 1983 season with plained the process of hiring. Tax "If 1 can't meet these exorbitant taxes, for $575,000. One valued at $224,000 sold "What can Common Council do to Association. The budget is a primary con- a 16-8-1 record. Assessor George Harraka hires con- am I to be thrown into the street?" asked for $405,000. Ford maintained that such review the tax exempt properties? Why cern for our group, he noted, and input sultants for the job. He does not need to Dorothy Andrews. significant under assessment discriminates doesn't Council introduce a bill to change from citizens is needed. The association's take the lowest bid for the work, but Harraka replied by describing options against her and her assessment. the law regarding Ihe exemptions?" address is P.O. Box. 565, Summit, N.J. Manchester HUD's tighter cost ceilings put senior Melissa Manchester, the talented' singer/songwriter, recently brought her personal brand of entertaining to the housing plans in jeopardy Garden State Aris Center. For a review of the show turn to page five. By PEG THl RLF.R cost guidelines at the time, lhat it com- $8.5 million. This represents a con- ' SUM.MIT — There was an air nf ar- pleled architectural design., and sought siderable reuiK-non from [he om'itl.'ii pro . p'rebension at the Housing Authority public bij-s. ilicsc rcvctitly imposed I IVl) jiviiiin b.ifk on Feb. 27, 1981. uhiji College meeting Tuesday evening as Executive cost ceilings require the Summit's senior listed the cost at $9.9 million. Director Vito Gallo described the reason citizen housing project to receive a waiver The authority held a lengthy discussion ; for the latest delay in plans to construct prior to an authorization to proceed with exploring the possibilities of action thai Current statistics show thai a large ; senior citizen housing along Chestnut construction. might be taken by the Washington HUD number of full-time and part-time ; Avenue. In late July an agreement was reached office within the nexi 20 days, a crucial students attending college use financial \ Authority chairman Garner Morgan between the Newark area office and ihe span of time. aid. According lo Lester Bigg, assistant ; sounded the warning that he was "pleased Summit Housing Authority, which The office could: director of financial aid at Union County that we have advanced this project this resulted in the authority agreeing to •Reject the plan and deny the request College, even in today's hard-pressed far. I am quite concerned that a decision eliminate $52,800 in construction items for a waiver. '• economic scene there are a wide variety of Jas to whether or not this project will ac- from the June bids. The Newark office •Ask for a re-design, which would be ways to obtain financial aid.