VINELAND - The Atlantic County League of Municipalities held its monthly dinner and regular meeting Friday, Sept. 19 at Merighi’s Savoy Inn. The group of municipal and county leaders heard a presentation from Atlantic County Tax Assessor Theresa Prendergast.
Prendergast gauged the knowledge of public officials by asking a series of questions highlighting differences between reassessments and revaluations. Reassessments can be done in-house by municipal tax assessors, while revaluations require interior inspections by a certified revaluation company, Prendergast said.
Both procedures establish a home’s valuation to ensure everyone pays their fair share of taxes based on arms-length transactions in the municipality. Reassessments are required when the assessed valuation of a home drops below 85% of true market value. Margate, which has an average coefficient of deviation of 50%, is the only municipality in Atlantic County that is under orders to conduct a revaluation. However, the city must update its tax maps before the process can begin.
Atlantic County currently has more than 155,000 line items on the books, Prendergast said. It has contracted with EagleView Imaging Company to update county tax maps, which is being funded with a $300,000 grant.
Additionally, in the aftermath of the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, League President Kaleem Shabazz requested the League members consider a resolution encouraging open dialog in political discussions and decrying political violence of any kind. The bipartisan resolution passed unanimously.
