July 2010

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

Enclosed please find your Final 2010 Preliminary 2011 Tax Bill. You will note that once again Holland Township's Municipal Tax rate remains at "0.00". The only increases have occurred at the Regional and Municipal School District levels. Delaware Valley Regional High School is up by less that 1 cent per hundred while Holland School is up 3 cents.

As you recieve this tax bill significant progress has been made in Trenton by Governor Christie and the legislature to contain property tax increases. The legislature has passed legislation requiring 2% CAP on Budgets with only four exceptions, (pension, health benefit increases, expenditures to reduce debt, expenditures for emergencies such as hurricanes, blizzards etc. and Capital Improvements) before a majority vote of the residents is required. The current CAP Law is 4% with 14 exemptions.

However, this is only part of the equation. Governor Christie has called for the enactment of a 33 bill tool-box package which will enable local governments to contol their own futures. The package includes reorganization of the Civil Service System, a requirement that arbitration consider the new 2% CAP in Police and Fire Contract disputes as well as nine other economic factors, and a new pension and health benefit system for new employees. The total package is available on the State Website www.state.nj.us/ and click on the Governor Chris Christie link.

The 2% CAP is applicable to County and Municipal Governments as well as Boards of Education and Public Authorities.

This year our application to the Highlands Commission was deemed "Adminstratively Complete" and our COAH Plan was submitted on June 8, 2010. We recieved notice that COAH has accepted our plan and has asked that a notice be published in the Hunterdon County Democrat which starts a 45 day public comment period. Once the public comments have been addressed by COAH, and absent any changes required by COAH based on those comments, we should recieve Substantive Certification for Round Three.

The past three years have been challenging for the Township. We continue to monitor our reserves to ensure we are getting a maximum return on our investments, which partially offset our municipal costs. The reduction in State Aid is of vital concern to all municipalities in New Jersey. We have been working with the NJ League of Municipalities and the Nj Conference of Mayors to ensure that both Governor Chisitie and the Legislature remember that the Energy Tax Relief is the municipality'smoney, not the States. We are encouraging them to return the funding we have lost over the three years and to return to the "hold-harmless" levels of three years ago.

YOUR HOLLAND TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE:

                                   Edward J. Burdzy, Mayor                       John B. DiSarro, Deputy Mayor
      Kenneth R, Vogel                                         Daniel T. Bush                                                 Anthony Roselle


TAX SCHEDULE

Taxes – Sent out in July:

Due By:
2/1/10 January - March
5/1/10 April - June
8/1/10 July - September
11/1/10 October - December

After the 10th of the month Taxes are considered late and will be charged interest.

The following documents may be of assistance:

Check Your Current Tax Bill

State Government and Your local taxes

Property Tax Reimbursement (Senior Freeze) 2009 Info