Tax Assessor

About the Tax Assessor

The Tax Assessor is a quasi-judicial position, a creature of the Legislature, whose authority is statutory and based in the New Jersey Constitution. The Stanhope Borough Tax Assessor holds a Certified Tax Assessor Certificate from the State of New Jersey, Department of the Treasury, Division of Taxation. Although the Tax Assessor is hired and paid by the Municipality, the immediate supervisor of the Tax Assessor is the County Board of Taxation.

The municipal Tax Assessor is responsible for the following activities:

• Location and ownership of all real property in the taxing district; listing and describing property in a manner as prescribed by the Division of Taxation.
• Determining taxable value of all property in the taxing district.
• Equalization via district wide revaluation and maintenance and for purposes of State aid to schools.
• Defense of Appeals appearances at County Tax Board and State Tax Court.
• Process and review copies of construction permits and valuation for added and omitted assessments and for COAH fees.
• Sub-Divisions assign block and lot numbers and valuation of newly created lot(s).
• Tax Apportionment, Farmland assessment valuation, review of applications, inspections, in addition to rollback assessments.
• Continual Review of Property Cards to ensure accuracy.
• Deductions review for qualification pursuant to NJ State Statutes of Veteran, widow, senior & disabled.
• Mailing of Chapter 75 postcards.

Other Duties of the Tax Assessor

Other functions in the Tax Assessor’s office are numerous and many including, but not limited to, updating the tax and sales maps; processing deed changes; updating property record cards; reviewing and updating claims for tax deductions and exemptions; maintaining exempt property assessments; added and omitted assessment lists; sending out and reviewing Income and Expense Statements for income producing properties; and processing sales ratio data. In addition taxpayers, appraisers, attorneys and others are constantly in and out of the Assessor’s Office to discuss assessment issues. Public relations is an integral part of the role of the Tax Assessor.

Important Appeal Information

If you are considering filing an appeal, please note: You do not file an appeal of your taxes but of your assessment. Taxes are a result of the County, School and Local Budgets less State Aid.

Do…

Do use sales that have been exposed to the market and are between a willing buyer and a willing seller and reflect fair market value.

Do Not…

Do not use other assessments as a comparison.
Do not use taxes as a criteria for an appeal.
Do not use properties that are currently on the market.
Do not use short sales, foreclosures, sheriff sale.
Do not use other sales marked non-usable .
Do not submit market trends and/or other analysis, listings of properties currently for sale, assessments of other properties, taxes neighbors pay, sales in other towns, newspaper articles, etc.

If, after reading the instructions and reviewing applicable comps, you believe you should file an appeal, ensure you have all supporting documents attached, file the original with the Sussex County Tax Board, serve a copy to the Borough Clerk and Tax Assessor.

Please access the Sussex County Board of Taxation Website for forms and additional information. Click the link below:
http://www.sussex.nj.us/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=7&TPID=862

For more information visit the State of New Jersey websites at the following links:
http://www.state.nj.us/treasury/taxation/
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/lawsconstitution/constitution.asp

For more information on Property Tax in New Jersey please visit the following website:
http://www.njslom.org