Comments on: Fact check: A primer on how Payments in Lieu of Taxes deals work in New Jersey

By: Olivia

Olivia — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 23:08:23 +0000

Everyone young and old understands that contributing to our public school system is a social good for all who live in our community, whether or not we have schoolchildren.

To live here and benefit from that, yet not contribute a penny towards the schools (~50% of our tax bills) is fundamentally unfair.

To say that, “well, the schools will still get their funding,” is disingenuous and not an equitable way of looking at it. Everyone else has to pick up the tab for those who don’t contribute.

It’s like saying that all right-handed residents have to pay school taxes, but left-handed residents are exempt. Is that fair?

By: AnotherPrincetonParent

AnotherPrincetonParent — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 21:08:49 +0000

Thank you for pointing out that due to PILOT payments, other taxpayers need to pay more taxes in order to make up for the fact that the developer does not pay school taxes.

Also, I believe this is also true for the county tax share. Since the PILOT program only pays 5% to the county (normally Mercer county’s bill is 25% of the total tax bill), is it not the case that other tax payers have to make up the tax amount that is due to the county?

By: Maria

Maria — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 19:52:33 +0000

Thank you very much for the clear description of the PILOTs

By: Bynum Petty

Bynum Petty — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 18:11:32 +0000

Go get ’em girl! Your “shoot from the hips” (sorry to use the metaphor since I’m an anti-gun-whatever-the-cost citizen) is what we need to here. Keep up the good work!