To the Editor:

Now that the vote for consolidation of the Princetons is past us, we must remember that when municipal governments are combined, State law (N.J.S.A. 40A:65-28) provides procedures to ensure that property values be assessed and taxed uniformly, a constitutional requirement. Unfortunately, the systematically flawed revaluation of 2010 does not provide a basis for uniform taxation of a consolidated Princeton. Examination of that revaluation continues and is now in the courts. Consolidation gives us another chance to avoid the same mistakes. With proper citizen scrutiny of the process, we must get it right this time.

Neither the appeals, which changed perhaps three percent of the assessments, nor the assessor’s compliance plans to readjust some districts, gave any significant relief to the flawed revaluation of 2010. It still discriminated against lower and moderate income families and against elderly and minority residents all over town. Meanwhile property tax relief for the wealthy went unchallenged by your elected officials.

As a result, Princeton Fair Tax Revaluation (PFTRG) members will continue to be out in the field for the next two weeks seeking additional plaintiffs for the lawsuit. That suit was filed November 4 to ensure equal taxation of citizens. There is no risk in being a plaintiff. It’s merely standing up for rights guaranteed you by the New Jersey State Constitution. Come join in with us in this special case to show the politicians that the proper collection of taxes is just as important as the spending of your tax dollar. We at PFTRG seem to learn every day how unfair advantage has been taken of those least able to pay their taxes. We want your individual stories in brief for the courts to review. It will help us make the case.

If one of our members contacts you, they may also ask for a contribution. Many have given $100 or more, some $1000, but feel free to join us and give what you can, even if you can only afford less. Virtually all the funding goes to the lawsuit. Our lawyers are donating a significant portion of their time in the public interest. You don’t often get a chance to stand up and be counted like this right in your home town of Princeton.

Grossly unfair assessment increases in the Witherspoon Jackson neighborhood first got the attention of the town. But we all came quickly to understand that the pattern was repeated elsewhere all along the boundary line of the Borough and Township in otherwise homogeneous neighborhoods of similar housing stock. That includes Harris Road-Carnehan, Jefferson-Moore, Linden Lane-Hawthorne, Franklin to Clearview and Hamilton, Snowden Lane-Deerpath, Riverside-Prospect-South Harrison, and all along the lake-front. This is why a revaluation must be done correctly this time. You cannot consolidate municipalities without guaranteeing equal tax treatment. It will take careful scrutiny and not just a gloss over by the elected officials. Make them take notice of you. For more information please feel free to contact myself or Jim Firestone at (609) 647-9802.

Jim Floyd
Harris Road