To the Editor:

A letter writer (“Future Taxes Will Go Up,” Mailbox, Nov. 7) is concerned that due to high property taxes the “middle class in Princeton will be forced to either reduce their standard of living or sell their houses and move to another town.” Perhaps he doesn’t realize that many towns in New Jersey have similar property taxes. One reason is the high cost of our public schools. The New York Times reported on 5/26/11 that New Jersey ranked third in the nation in spending per student, behind New York State and Washington, D.C. In 2011 Princeton’s school taxes increased 5.46 percent. Our town may well rank in the upper reaches of state spending per pupil.

Each Sunday the New York Times lists properties in New Jersey that are for sale and their property taxes. Here are three nearby: a house in Hillsborough (9/23/12) for $367,000 with taxes of $8,085; a house in Hopewell Township (9/30/12) for $560,000 with taxes of $11,415; a house in East Brunswick (9/23/12) for $590,000 with taxes of $17,460. By the way, these towns don’t have a university to make contributions.

Princeton University is not the cause of and shouldn’t have to be the solution to our increasing tax rate. But it is right that the University makes a payment for tax-exempt rental properties where there are children who attend public school. Princeton’s newly elected officials need to better inform the public of the reason for our high taxes, namely, the high cost of our public schools.

Anne Witt

Lake Lane