Revaluation process to begin in January
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Jackson

JACKSON — A revaluation of every property in Jackson will begin in January and become effective on Jan. 1, 2009, according to Deputy Tax Assessor Toni Nagle-Rowe.

Township Councilwoman Emily Ingram wants residents to know what the process will entail.

“Revaluation is a program that is undertaken by our municipality to appraise all real estate and bring it up to its full and fair value,” she said.

Ingram said revaluation is also known as tax equalization be-cause it ensures that all property owners (residential, commercial, vacant or occupied) pay their fair share of taxes based on the market value of the property they own.

She said revaluation is not optional. It is required by state law and the procedures and methods used are supervised by the Ocean County Board of Taxation. Jackson’s previous revaluation was in 1988.

Ingram said a complete revaluation effort depends on the cooperation of all taxpayers. If one person’s real estate is underassessed, then all other property owners in Jackson must pay higher taxes to cover the inadequacy.

“If one refuses entry to the revaluation company representative, the property can be assessed at the highest possible value and if appealed, the county tax board will require a full inspection before hearing the case,” the councilwoman explained.

As to how revaluation will affect the property taxes paid by a resident, she said, “When revaluation occurs the property is brought up to its fair market value so therefore, the assessment is increased. If the amount needed to operate the various levels of government, which includes schools, county, fire district, etc. remains the same, the tax rate would drop.”

As a result of revaluation, some property owners will experience an increase in taxes, some people will see their taxes remain the same, and some property owners will see a decrease in what they pay, she said.

Ingram explained how revaluation is accomplished.

“Field listers who are employed by the revaluation company will collect the necessary data by visiting each property in the community,” the councilwoman said. “Both the interior and exterior of each property will be physically inspected and the building dimensions will be taken. This information will be encoded into a computer. [Residents] will be asked to sign the data sheet confirming the inspection was completed.”

She said each property will also be appraised by professional appraisers during the information gathering process. The appraisers will determine each property’s full and fair market value.

The state will require a three-year study of all sales in the township. Commercial property purchased for investment purposes will be analyzed in terms of its income-producing capability.

Once this is completed, the revaluation company will mail a notice advising property owners of the proposed assessed value of their property. If all goes as expected, the mailing will take place during the fall of 2008.

If a property owner disagrees with the appraised value, there will be procedures in place for an informal hearing as well as appeal procedures.

The following list covers the items the field listers will be looking for as part of their revaluation: overall condition, exterior dimensions, how many stories, design and style, roof type and material, room count, basement (finished or unfinished), heating system and source, central air conditioning, plumbing fixtures in bathrooms, fireplaces, all types of porches, patios and decks, in-ground pools, sheds [over 100 square feet] and any other detached structures.

Additional information has been prepared by Tax Assessor Dennis Raftery and is available on the Jackson Internet Web site at www.Jacksontwpnj.net. Click on Municipal Assessor.