Gloucester City Mayor/Council to vote on New Business Tax, New Title for Tax Job, Property Tax Increase, More Stop Signs

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Gloucester City Mayor/Council to vote on New Business Tax, New Title for Tax Job, Property Tax Increase, More Stop Signs

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Gloucester City Police Administration building 313 Monmouth Street. Image provided by Google street view

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ (March 23, 2022)(CNBNewsnet)--Gloucester City mayor and council will meet, Thursday, March 24, at 7 PM in council chambers at the Police Administration Building, 313 Monmouth Street. A number of ordinances are up for second reading and final adoption including Ordinance #O 02-2022 titled Creating a Mercantile License Process. This new law is basically another tax on local businesses requiring the owners to fill out more paperwork and pay a $50 fee every two years.

The penalty for non-compliance is a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 90 days or a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof, in the discretion of the judge of the court where the violation has been heard. Any repetition of any violation of this article shall be deemed a new offense. See the complete ordinance below.

Council will vote on an ordinance on second reading that changes the title for the position of Deputy Collector of Taxes to Assistant Municipal Tax Collector. The salary for the position ranges from a low of $65,000 to a high of $87,000, including health benefits. The name of the official was not released. We were unable to find the position listed on the 2021 salary ordinance.

According to last year's friendly budget Gloucester City taxpayers employ 109 full-time employees, 77 part-time employees and pay the health benefits for 75 retirees which cost almost $2 million. This years total budget is $25,457,774. Of that amount $13,117,045 is for salaries, or in another words more than half of the total budget goes to personnel costs.

And, a new law that creates six more Stop Streets in the city is expected to be approved. Two more signs will be erected on Cold Springs Drive. There are presently four signs on that street already. The other signs will be erected on the southeast and northwest corner of King and Monmouth Streets; and, on the southeast and northwest corner of 6th and Jersey Avenue. After final adoption, the total number of stop signs in this city of 2.8 square miles will be 50.

More Stop Signs and One-Way Streets for Gloucester City

On the agenda too is an ordinance on first reading that allows Mayor and Council to exceed the state budget cap, which will ultimately raise city property taxes. With the election of a new mayor in November along with two new councilmembers there was hope that property taxes would not increase again this year. After all the City of Gloucester City has the unwanted distinction of being one of the top 30 communities in the State of New Jersey with the highest property taxes. A rating the City has held since 2018. But it appears that dream will not become a reality since the governing body is asking the state to allow the city to exceed the state budget cap, which will ultimately force another escalation in local property taxes. Second reading and a public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for the April 28 council meeting. One of the reasons for the turmoil in the Gloucester City Democrat Club, and the ultimate sale of the Democrat Club house on Broadway was the city's continual practice of raising property taxes. That issue was also one of the main reasons a New Republican Party was formed. Those seeking to upseat the incumbents in the fall include Jason Fanning, James Mueller and Anthony Kates.

The total amount of monthly bills to be approved Thursday night is $1,547.625.

THE ORDINANCE ON SECOND READING CREATING A NEW TITLE FOR WHITE COLLAR POSITION IS DIRECTLY BELOW;