WHY ARE MUNICIPAL TAXES SO HIGH IN NORTH ARLINGTON?
Pronti blames Bergen County, local school board for the spike, but who is responsible for these constant reassessments?
NORTH ARLINGTON – There is a great debate online about why North Arlington’s property taxes increase every year.
Residents see the sharp spike in added assessments, a driving factor in the increase, but Mayor Dan Pronti blames the County of Bergen and the North Arlington school district while absolving the local government that is controlled by the all-Republican Mayor & Borough Council. 
Pronti makes false claims that Municipal Taxes have remained “nearly unchanged” for eight years while even being critical of local Republican candidates that ran unopposed, indicating they have “no idea” how it works!
For Republicans, and only NA Republicans have voted to pass budgets that have in fact raised your taxes.
The current majority has casted hundreds, if not thousands of votes that have increased spending, municipal debt, salaries and a host of other factors that have seen spending, and thus taxes rise consistently!
To blame the Board of Education and the County of Bergen is less than honest, as he continues with this political illusion that property taxes are not spiking on his watch as he is adamant that 100% of all homes are in fact assessed and supported by this all-Republican governing body. 
So, is this policy of keeping home values “current” as suggested by Pronti, or is this really just a way of squeezing homeowners for every possible penny?
The blame game continues.
It’s not me, it’s the county.
It’s not us, it’s the schools.
It must be those teachers and the children they educate
Since NA Councilwoman Allison Sheedy (R) is employed by the North Arlington school district, and she actually casts a vote on the budget (Pronti does not), does she believe the blame should sit at the doorstep of her employer, the North Arlington Board of Education as Pronti suggests?
Does she agree with that assessment?
For Pronti seems more obsessed in pushing the narrative that he personally, is not to blame.
While he is the driving force behind the municipal budget, it is his all-Republican council that annually casts the “yes” votes for rolling reassessments and higher property taxes. 
Is he suggesting that pension and healthcare costs have not increased?
Municipal debt and spending have decreased?
Of course not.
Has your family budget remained the same for 8 years?
No.
Property taxes in North Arlington are high due to several factors:
Tax Rate: As of 2023, North Arlington’s tax rate is 2.442%, which is higher than both the New Jersey state median of 2.82% and the national median of 0.99%. North Arlington is becoming an expensive place to live and those on fixed incomes are being driven out financially by these policies of Pronti and the all-Republican council.
Local Services Funding: These taxes finance essential local services such as capital programs, road maintenance, and emergency services. The higher tax rate reflects the cost of providing these services to residents.
Property Assessments: The assessed value of properties in North Arlington influences tax bills. The higher the values imposed, the higher the taxes you will pay. The borough’s Tax Assessor’s Office can provide information on property assessments and potential deduction options such as appealing the property assessment to the Bergen County Board of Taxation.
State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction Cap: The federal SALT deduction cap limits the amount taxpayers can deduct for state and local taxes, including property taxes. This cap can make high property taxes more burdensome for residents. This policy was instituted by President Donald Trump.
As long as Pronti remains adamant on these constant rolling assessments, the current financial practices will continue.
This is why elections have consequences and having all Republicans all of the time is bad news for North Arlington.
A healthy mix of Democrats and Republicans is what the community needs if you oppose this Pronti mandate of rolling assessments.