A lot of people played defense at Morristown’s council meeting on Wednesday.
The mayor, tax assessor and an appraisal company president all tried to placate residents outraged about big tax hikes that contradict rosy estimates sent last fall.
And representatives of the Morristown Parking Authority defended their request to double parking meter rates on the busiest downtown streets.
With virtually no discussion, the council also unanimously introduced a zoning change to allow “extended stay” rooms within large apartment buildings, near the Morristown Green and near the M Station office complex. The measure appears tailored to M Lofts, a 150-apartment project pitched for Spring Street by M Station’s developers.
TAX ‘SNAFU’
Christine Conti-Collins paid almost $40,000 in taxes last year for her place in the posh 40 Park condos. So she was elated last October when a letter from the town’s tax revaluation contractor estimated her bill would be decreasing to $26K.
Not so fast!
Turns out she’s not getting relief. And neither are many other property owners who thought they were catching a break.
These letters went out before school- and county tax assessments were calculated, Mayor Tim Dougherty said in a video posted earlier this month. He said he was flabbergasted, too — the $800 tax drop suggested in his October letter now looks more like a $1,200 increase, he said.
Who authorized those letters? Conti-Collins demanded on Wednesday.
Not me, the mayor said.
“I don’t mind getting beat up for my mistakes. But I don’t like getting beat up for other people’s mistakes,” Dougherty said. He invited town tax Assessor Kevin Esposito and Rick Del Gurcio of Appraisal Systems Inc. to get up and say a few words.
Acknowledging responsibility with Del Gurcio for the letters, Esposito said he has dealt with hundreds of concerned residents and feels sympathy for anyone getting tax increases during these “very, very difficult times.”
But if there’s anyone to blame, Esposito told the gallery, “it’s not me as your Assessor, or the revaluation firm. It’s the process, unfortunately.”
A final tax rate won’t be certified until this summer, after budgets are finalized, he said.
In his defense, Del Gurcio noted that October letters to homeowners had a disclaimer, advising that tax estimates did not include any “county-, local- or school budget increases.”
He added it’s standard practice for Appraisal Systems to send, along with a home’s fair market value, “some indication of what effect the revaluation and re-distribution caused by the revaluation” will have on homeowners.
“Although that may be their standard practice, it’s unacceptable,” countered Dougherty. Vowing “this will never happen again,” the mayor said he will “put it in a law” to require revaluation companies to seek town approval before sending estimates to homeowners.
New Jersey towns conduct tax appraisals about every 10 years. Prodded by Morris County and neighboring towns, Morristown in 2022 hired Appraisal Systems to perform Morristown’s first town-wide revaluation since circa 2007. Property values have risen significantly over the last 17 years, as anyone who has house-hunted in Morristown can attest.
An audience member disputed it, but Del Guercio insisted some Morristown homeowners would face large tax increases even without the revaluation, “based on equalization.”
That’s a complex state formula that compares property values across municipalities and determines their “true value.”
The regional Morris School District says annual school taxes actually are going down for the average homeowner in Morristown (by $229) and Morris Township (by $147). But equalization has upped Morristown’s overall share of school taxes, from 33 percent in 2023 to about 40 percent this year, according to the district’s budget presentation last month.
Morris County says its tax rate is not increasing.
The school board’s budget vote is scheduled for Monday, April 29, 2024, at 7:30 pm in Morristown High School.
PARKING FEES
Employees of downtown businesses are feeding the meters to hog prime parking spaces, according to Morristown Parking Authority Executive Director Nicole Fox.
That violates two-hour limits and prevents turnover by shoppers, she told the council.
Rather than slapping violators with $37 tickets–which is unpleasant and requires intense enforcement — Fox said she hopes to nudge them into MPA parking garages by doubling parking meter fees to $2 an hour. Garages then will be slightly cheaper for all-day parking.
When MPA’s computers are upgraded–possibly later this year–discounted garage permits may be available for these workers, Fox said.
The increases, which require council approval, would apply to 214 of 710 parking meters. Specifically, the meters around the Morristown Green; on South, DeHart, Market and Pine streets; and on Cattano Avenue and Community Place.
By comparison, minimum hourly meter rates are $2 in Asbury Park, Freehold and New Brunswick, and $3 in Hoboken, said MPA consultant Gerard Giosa. New Brunswick’s priciest meters charge $8 per hour, he said.
Councilman Robert Iannaccone encouraged the MPA to seek input from business owners in the Morristown Partnership.
EXTENDED STAYS
If you’re coming to Morristown to work on a long-term project for, say, the new Valley National Bank headquarters, or for companies in the soon-to-be-renovated Headquarters Plaza, or for Deloitte or Sanofi at the new M Station complex, Morristown’s three hotels probably won’t cut it.
Town codes limit hotel stays to one month, and prohibit kitchens.
A zoning change introduced on Wednesday says these heavy hitters “have regional, national, and international scopes that necessitate travel by staff, vendors, and clients to their offices for periods greater than 30 days, and in such instances may desire to have cooking facilities available within the guest rooms.”
The ordinance would allow “extended stays” as a conditional use in apartment buildings near the Morristown Green, and also near the train station.
Extended stays would be allowed in mixed-use buildings which:
- Have a ground floor with at least 1,000 feet of commercial space;
- Have dwelling units at least equal to, or greater than, the extended stay guest rooms;
- Have a combination of at least 100 dwelling units and extended stay guest rooms.
Additionally, extended-stay guest rooms must be at least 650 square feet. At least half of them must have one sleeping room; two bedrooms is the limit. And at least half of extended stay lodgings must be furnished. Housekeeping and laundry services must be provided for guests.
Maximum stays would be 180 days.
The concept is similar to AVE Florham Park, which blends apartments and extended-stay rentals near the New York Jets training center.
Only one project in Morristown’s proposed zones appears to meet the size requirements. SPJ Properties and Scotto Properties, developers of M Station, seek approvals next door on Spring Street for 150 apartments they are calling M Lofts.
Iannaccone suggested allowing extended stays in smaller buildings, and in more parts of town.
But he voted to introduce the measure as written, along with Council President Nathan Umbriac, Vice President David Silva, and Councilmembers Steve Pylypchuk and Chris Russo. Council members Toshiba Foster and Tina Lindsey were absent. The ordinance returns for a final vote on May 14, 2024.
IN OTHER BUSINESS
Pylypchuk, Iannaccone and the mayor said landscapers have been converting to electric leaf blowers, to comply with a partial ban of gas-powered blowers approved by voters last November.
“I love the peace and quiet that I hope will come about,” said resident Judy Bayard, who volunteered to help spread the word about the ordinance. The controversial referendum was spearheaded last year by then-Councilman Stefan Armington.
Bill Byrne, an advocate for people with disabilities and, arguably, the town’s most passionate advocate for pedestrian safety, continued to press for a ban of electric scooters from sidewalks.
Town Attorney David Minchello said he is researching if they already are prohibited. Umbriac said he shares Byrne’s concern and will discuss enforcement with the town public safety director.
“They are dangerous, they go 25 or 30 mph, they don’t make noise, and they zoom right by you,” the council president said of electric scooters.
Most recipients of mayoral proclamations seem delighted. But town Administrator Jillian Barrick had to be coaxed to accept one on Wednesday.
Hailing her as “the best administrator in the state,” Dougherty commended Barrick for her Distinguished Public Service Award from the state chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA).
“It really is a thankless job she has–and not just working with me,” Dougherty said. Morristown is lucky to still have her after eight years, he added, because other towns “try to poach her all the time.”
Wednesday’s hybrid meeting was moved from its usual Tuesday slot because of the Passover holiday.
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I almost got decked by an adult riding down the sidewalk at high speed by Wells Fargo. Morristown PD must enforce no adults riding bicycles on the sidewalk!
Morristown MUST keep bicycles ridden by adults off the sidewalk. Someone will be killed!!! Issue tickets!!!!
More tax3 means a safe streets, more police, Safer city.
Why is he giving Barrick an accommodation? He left her out to dry as the scapegoat in the latest lawsuit and she crumbled during testimony trying to keep their false story straight. I guess the mayor does owe her an award…cya for him. And the tax hikes with all this new construction…the result of lawsuits against him and PILOTs, thanks Mayor, ugh!
Business employees are illegally hogging parking spaces meant for shoppers, so the solution is to punish shoppers, instead of punishing the individual illegally parking? How does this make any sense?
Here’s a thought: do your job enforcing parking, and sell discounted garage permits now. Issue enough tickets, and the enforcement could pay for itself.
Please stay on top of the sidewalk electric scooter issue. They are VERY dangerous and should be prohibited.
“‘The buck stops here’ is a phrase that was popularized – although not originated – by United States President Harry S. Truman who had a sign placed on his desk to tell visitors that he alone accepted personal responsibility for how the country was governed and that he would not pass the buck to anyone else.”
This is the cost of PILOTs and letting developers run the town while they make empty promises about supposed “economic benefits” to the town (there are benefits it seems, but only to the people with their hands in the real estate cookie jar).
This should be no surprise, the Democratic mayor has continued spending and raising taxes. Then he got reelected. So now taxes will continue to exploding as with pretty much every Democratic city in control. Pure facts, voting blue = higher taxes and increased spending. 3 years now Morristown has been has continues to increase taxes, what a great case study. It’s rich how he deflects blame, yet has the power to contract spending.