STOP THE REPUBLICAN ROLLING REASSESSMENTS!
ELECT BALWIERCZAK & SEVER, NORTH ARLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL!
NORTH ARLINGTON – There is only one team and one ticket that opposes the Pronti tax reassessments and that’s council candidates John Balwierczak and Cengiz “Jim” Sever.
The incumbents are running as the Pronti “puppet team,” as they promise to do what only Dan Pronti demands and that’s keeping these random reassessments in place no matter how hurtful, unfair and unequitable to North Arlington homeowners!
Homeowners in North Arlington — and more broadly — often oppose “random” or frequent property tax reassessments.
Here are some of the key reasons that tend to come up, drawing both from what’s been reported locally as well as more general concerns:
What does “random tax reassessments” mean for North Arlington?
By “random” people often mean rolling, frequent, or “non‑scheduled” reassessments; or reassessments that seem arbitrary (e.g. large changes without clear justification). In North Arlington, for example, reports refer to “rolling tax reassessments” being implemented.
Why NA homeowners oppose them:
Unpredictable Tax Bills
Frequent reassessments mean that a homeowner’s property value (for tax purposes) can shift every year or more often. If values in their area rise a lot, their tax bill may rise sharply. Because people’s incomes often don’t rise in lockstep (especially retirees, people on fixed incomes, etc.), this unpredictability generates financial stress.
Even if the municipality claims the overall tax burden is revenue‑neutral (i.e., rates adjusted downward), individual homeowners may still see big increases if their property value grew more than average.
Fear of Sharp Increases (“Shock”)
If a lot of time has passed since the last reassessment, the catch‑up effect can mean very large increases. Homeowners worry about “tax‑shock” — a sudden jump in taxes they didn’t plan for.
Also, such spikes might be especially painful for those who haven’t gained similarly in home equity or income.
Equity and Fairness Concerns
Some homeowners believe their homes are being over‑valued relative to similar properties, or that assessments are inconsistent or unfair. Frequent reassessments may expose or exacerbate perceived inequities.
Neighbors might pay very different taxes for seemingly similar properties, which sows discontent.
Fixed Income / Affordability
Seniors, retired homeowners, etc., often live on fixed or limited incomes; sudden increases in property taxes can become burdensome, or force them to move.
Also, for people who bought when housing prices were lower, gains in property value (which drive reassessment) represent “paper equity” — not cash — so they may feel penalized even though they haven’t realized any financial gains.
Administrative / Bureaucratic Burden & Transparency
Homeowners may distrust how assessments are done: lack of clarity about how values are determined, limited opportunity to review or appeal, or concern that assessors aren’t using proper comparative data.
Also, they might feel the process is opaque or that changes aren’t communicated clearly. In North Arlington, there have been complaints that reassessment letters or value notices weren’t well explained.
“Upstream” consequences: taxes + development + cost of living
Rising property taxes add to the overall cost of living; they can strain local budgets for homeowners (insurance, maintenance, etc.).
Sometimes, homeowners feel that they don’t see commensurate improvements in services when taxes rise. So, they oppose reassessments partly on the basis that higher taxes don’t always lead to better public services.
In North Arlington there are also coupling complaints about overdevelopment, more density, parking problems, etc., which together with rising taxes make people feel the character of the neighborhood is changing in unwanted ways.
Political / Timing Issues
Some see reassessments as “politically motivated” or done in such a way that certain neighborhoods or property types are affected more.
Frequent reassessments can become political footballs — opposition arises when residents feel they weren’t consulted, or that changes are being imposed without adequate public input.
Also, even though municipalities often claim they hold tax rates so that revenues don’t increase (or increase only modestly), homeowners may still distrust those claims. In North Arlington, for instance, the mayor has stated that average taxes haven’t gone up since a certain year, yet many homeowners say they are seeing higher bills.
OPPOSE RANDOM REASSESSMENTS OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS? ELECT BALWIERCZAK & SEVER. JOIN THE CAMPAIGN AND CALL (201) 655-8497.