2023 TAX RATE ALLOCATION

Burlington County recently released the 2023 Tax Rates. Very often residents inquire as to why their taxes are different than their neighbors when they have the "same home" or why their taxes increased. In order to answer this question, there are 6 Factors that should be considered that go into the computation of your property tax liability and how it can change, from year to year.

6 Factors

1. The market value of the property that you own – this is what you could get for your home if you sold it.
2. The cost of municipal and county programs and services – what it costs to run the town / county.
3. The costs of your local public schools – what it costs to provide education to our children.
4. The availability of other revenues to cover those costs – this includes grants, additional County and State funding and fees the municipality charges for certain services (inspections, fines, recreation programs, utility costs, etc.)
5. The extent of the presence of tax exempt properties in your municipality – schools, churches and other programs that provide tax exemptions.
6. The total value of all the taxable properties in your municipality – Maple Shade’s Net Valuation for 2023 is $1,316,101,550.00.

So Why Is Your Tax Bill Bigger Than Your Neighbors?

According to the NJ League of Municipalities webpage, the explanation is simple; “If your property is more valuable due to an event such as structural additions or renovations, and all other properties remained unchanged, your tax liability (bill) gets bigger." Increased value beyond average appreciation means that your property represents a larger portion of the value of the municipality and therefore it is assigned a larger portion of the "amount to be raised through property taxation." If it costs more to deliver local government services and programs and to educate our public school kids or if the State and Federal governments impose new demands on local institutions and/or reduce funding back to local government, all else being equal, your tax bill gets bigger. 

Take these things into consideration……

• If we are unable to count on other revenues keeping pace with inflation, all else being equal, your tax bill gets bigger.
• If the State Legislators exempt certain classes of property from local taxation or if a property that was previously taxable gets changed to an exempt property, your bill gets bigger, or;
• If a large commercial business closes or relocates, all else being equal, your tax bill gets bigger.

Unfortunately as well, all else rarely remains equal. In fact, more often than not, the things that we want to stay level, in order to keep property taxes down, go up. And the things we want to go up, stay level.

Local Property Tax Assessment Process

As a local tax, this levy is locally assessed and collected for the support of municipal and county governments and local school districts. No part of it supports State government, but a large part of it supports functions that the State has imposed on local units. All taxable property is assigned a value - assessed-by a local assessor in each municipality. An assessment is given as "taxable value," except in the case of qualified farmland, which is specially valued. The amount of the tax is annually determined each year, in every municipality, to provide sufficient revenues to meet the budgeted expenditures of municipalities, counties and school districts, minus revenue available from other sources.

The tax levy is divided by the total assessed value of all taxable property within the municipality-or the tax base - to determine the general tax rate. The general tax rate is then applied to the assessed value of each individual parcel of property to determine the property owner's tax liability. Local budgets, assessed value and the availability of other revenues, then, are the prime determinants of each taxpayer's burden. The rate is annually adjusted to account for these factors.

TAX COLLECTOR

3rd Quarter 2023 Tax Bills - DELAYED

The 3rd Quarter Tax bills normally due August 1st are delayed and have not been mailed.

The grace period to pay without interest will be extended until September 26th.

GO PAPERLESS!

We are pleased to announce a new electronic billing option for Water and Sewer Bills. 

You may now receive your Water and Sewer Bill online via email.

Click HERE for directions.

You can also go to https://mapleshade.com/tax-collector/ or contact the Tax Collector’s Office at 856-779-9610 ext. 156 to sign up.

AUGUST CONCERT IN THE PARK

Interested in sustainable initiatives around town? Want a plot in the new community garden? Looking to get more involved with your neighborhood?

Check out Sustainable Maple Shade’s new website: 

https://www.sustainablemapleshade.org/.

We are actively seeking more volunteers. Reach out via the contact page! 

Looking for businesses with vehicles that would like to participate. Also looking for groups/businesses that would like to sponsor a kid friendly activity for the event. Email: Recreation@mapleshade.com if interested.

On Monday July 10, 2023, the Maple Shade Police Department underwent a full and thorough assessment by two certified assessors with the New Jersey State Association of Chief's of Police (NJSACOP) in furtherance of their goal in being certified as an Accredited policing agency. As stated by the NJSACOP website on Accreditation,

"Accreditation is a progressive and time-proven method of assisting law enforcement agencies to calculate and improve their overall performance. The foundation of Accreditation lies in the adoption of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these standards and objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained, independent assessors verifies that the applicable standards have been successfully implemented.

Accredited status represents a significant professional achievement. Accreditation acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.

The New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police has pursued the concept and development of a voluntary statewide law enforcement accreditation program for New Jersey which has resulted in the formation of the NJSACOP Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission, consisting of commissioners with the overall responsibility of adoption of program standards, as well as review of all assessment reports and approval of all recommendations for the granting of accredited status of applicant agencies.

The attitudes, training and actions of personnel of New Jersey's law enforcement agencies best reflect compliance with the standards contained in this program. Policy and procedure based on Accreditation will not insure mistake-free policing or a crime-free environment for citizens. Nor will it ensure an absence of litigation against law enforcement agencies and executives. However, comprehensive and effective leadership through professionally based policy development is directly influenced by a law enforcement program that is thorough, complete, and obtainable, and based on standards that reflect professional best practices."

The Maple Shade Police Department expects to be presented to the Accreditation Commission of the NJSACOP in October 2023 for full certification of their accredited status. Chief Christopher Fletcher is very proud of his team led by Captain Sean Hasson and Civilian Clerk Heather Capate who both worked tirelessly for the last year to make certain we were more than prepared for our on site assessment. Chief Fletcher also noted that this has been a long time goal for the agency and it will be very rewarding in October to receive that certificate. Lastly, Chief Fletcher and his team want to express their thanks and appreciation to Township Manager Susan Danson and the Township Council for their unwavering support during this challenging and lengthy process. 

K-9 Ripley and Officer Tony King have spotted exciting, new things on the horizon! Keep an eye out for an upcoming interactive contest from the Maple Shade Police Department!

Tip of the Month

from the MSPD

Look Before You Lock!

Check the back seat of your vehicle every time when leaving your vehicle. Leave a stuffed animal in the front seat as a reminder to check the back seat for little, loved ones.

RECREATION

LIL SOUS CHEFS COOKING SEPTEMBER CLASSES

PAINT WITH MAIN STREET ART - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2023

WATER & SEWER UTILITIES

Summer Water Conversation Tips

Hot summers days can lead to increased water consumption and higher than normal water bills. Reducing water usage will help you save money. Making a few adjustments can make a big difference to your quarterly utility bills.

Here are some easy tips to help you conserve.

1.   Water early. When temperatures heat up and the sun is high in the air, water evaporation is at its peak. By watering in the morning, you ensure that more of the water you expend soaks into your lawn and garden.

2.   Fix drips. Leaking spigots can add up to substantial water loss if left unrepaired. Check washers and connections frequently, and repair hoses that are in need. Most repairs can be done easily and inexpensively.

3.   Recycle rainwater. Collecting rainwater is easier than you might expect. Find plans online for installing rain barrels or developing a cistern. These collection systems can easily recycle rainwater for use on your lawn or garden.

4.   Landscape mindfully. Instead of living with existing slopes in your yard, which can be difficult to irrigate and lead to runoff, consider planting ground covers or shrubs which will help keep water within the soil.

5.   Make more of your outdoor space. Lawns need more water than flower beds or shrubs, so consider beautifying your yard with more landscaped areas.

6.   Sweep instead of spray. Instead of grabbing the hose to clean yard debris for patios and decks, grab a broom. Not only will you save water, but you’ll also give our body the gift of exercise!

7.   Use mulch. By applying a two-inch layer of mulch to flower beds and around shrubs, you can slow water evaporation and suppress the growth of weeds.

8.   Mow for the season. Did you know that the length you cut your grass should be adjusted for different seasons? In hot summer months, you may want to cut your grass shorter than in cooler months.

9.   Sprinkle deliberately. When using sprinklers, make sure they are working properly and be deliberate about the time allotted between moving from one area to the next. Setting a timer can be a good reminder.

10. Use a smarter system. If you haven’t upgraded your sprinkler system in a while, it may be time. Newer systems can offer low precipitation rate sprinklers, smart controllers, and low-volume micro-irrigation.

AUGUST TOWNSHIP MEETINGS:

Wednesday, August 9th - Zoning Board Meeting at 7:00PM

Thursday, August 24th - Town Council Meeting at 6:30PM *NEW DATE

Wednesday, August 23rd - Planning Board Meeting at 7:00PM

AUGUST EVENTS:

August 1st - National Night Out - 5:30PM at Aces Field (191 Broadway)

August 15th - Concert in the Park - 6:30PM at Gazebo Park