Posted on 11/09/2009 9:44:03 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Harding Township Manages To Keep Taxes Very Low Because Residents Volunteer, Do Many Things Themselves
HARDING TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) ―
Across the Hudson River where property taxes are a hot button issue, homeowners in one New Jersey town know how to get more bang for their buck.
What's Harding Township's secret? Lawmakers keep those taxes down and residents happy.
It's a secret the residents don't want the rest of the state to know about -- how they've managed keep their property taxes down.
When you step into Harding Township you feel like you've gone back in time.
Horses, farms, barely any street lights. This little oasis is just 35 miles from the city, near transportation and malls.
But residents say what makes this New Jersey town special is they pay some of the lowest property taxes in a state with the highest rates in the nation.
"It's like a little spot no one knows about it -- because it's not such a huge area people don't know about it," resident Gary Gutjahr said.
Gutjahr pays $36,000 a year for a $6 million home. He said he'd pay triple that in neighboring Mendham.
Township officials said there is a reason for moderate taxes -- shared services, a concept Gov.-elect Chris Christie pushed during his campaign.
"I think the governor-elect has been saying it for nine months. We have a spending problem. We have to live within what we can believe our revenues are going to be," said Regina Egea.
The Township has a private fire department that's 100 percent volunteer. Some residents rely on well water and septic tanks and those who live in the New Vernon section pick up their own mail from the post office.
That's why realtor Deborah Tong said you get more land here for your tax dollars.
"We have private garbage. We only have K-8 and our sending district is Madison High School," Tong said.
The Township has more than 3,600 residents and because it has a wildlife refuge and national park building's kept at a minimum.
And there seems to be something else.
"There is a lot of volunteerism with Harding Township," Deputy Mayor Ned Ward said.
The Kirby family donated money to build the municipal building, and residents say their families have been here for generations.
"It's a great town to live in," Lucinda Miller said. "The secret's out. A lot of people move here strictly for the address."
At the center of town there's a deli and several real estate companies. While the secret may be out, it remains to be seen if other New Jersey towns can do what Harding Township has done -- keep property taxes down through shared services.
Still, despite all the positives, Township officials said because of falling revenues they still struggle to hold taxes flat.
“Some residents rely on well water and septic tanks and those who live in the New Vernon section pick up their own mail from the post office.”
So local towns normally tax residents for FEDERAL mail delivery?
While I applaud this Town, this is still not what I would call an extremely low tax rate.
No thanks.. It’s still North Jersey!
Residents from around the state will move in, and vote for people who will increase taxes.
I truly don’t understand how anybody can do that.
I live in Westchester NY, the county with highest taxes in the nation. We decided to do something about it. Last spring we started fielding candidates to run for office. We got a great guy, history of restructuring large companies to run for council, we wanted him for supervisor but we took what we could get. Then we had a libertarian run for supervisor. Result, we had another reform candidate who will follow the cost cutter. The libertarian came in second, ahead of the democrat. The republican who won for super is a dud, but basically we have taken over the town in one election. Now they have to perform or out they go.
Didn’t you guys just boot out a long-time Dem hack for a Repub who has a XM Sat radio show where he talks to the bishop once a week.
Rush was talking about it.
“...not what I would call an extremely low tax rate.”
$36,000 a year for a $6 million home is a fraction of what it would be in a nearby suburb to any major city.
“...not what I would call an extremely low tax rate.”
$36,000 a year for a $6 million home is a fraction of what it would be in a nearby suburb to any major city.
It is for Jersey.
I’ve known about Harding Township for over 20 years now, it was known as the most Republican town in New Jersey. I saw the election returns for Governor and it looks like some Rats have moved in too. I think it was still like 70% voting for Christie.
I live in Brooklyn, I’m sure you know how our elections went.
So...why not move some section 8 housing in on these racists and destroy their town like they did my nice, quiet little town? HUH?
That sounds about right for where I live in the Phoenix metro area. Last time I checked it was about $4000 for a $600,000 house.
-ccm
Refusing to pay their fair share eh?
I live in small town Montana and I have garbage service, mail delivered to my house, the best water in the world, etc. My house I could sell for $150,000 and I pay $1280 this year in property taxes. $36,000 for a 6 mil property seems unreal to me, but you gotta put it in prospective. I live in the middle of nowhere and these people live right next door to NYC. I love NYC, would love to live there but surely cannot afford it.
The rope around his neck- he doesn't own the house. The government does.
I envy you. I pay that for A $180,000 house.
In the NYC metro area, two towns equi-distant from NYC have dramatically different taxes, A $6M house in Chappaqua, NY, would be $126K. The same property in Greenwich, CT would be $45K. So, even by the lower CT standard, Harding NJ is a bargain.
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