Here's a letter from Mayor Thomas C. Fritts regarding understanding your property tax bill.
Dear Residents and Business Owners of Allentown Borough,
I know the recent property tax increases are incredibly difficult to accept.
The Borough Council and I worked tirelessly on the 2026 budget, scrutinizing
every line item and making reductions wherever possible to lessen the impact on
taxpayers.
Despite those efforts, several significant cost increases were beyond the
Borough's control. These included the Monmouth County annual reassessment
program, increased state pension obligations, higher healthcare costs, and
contractual police salary increases. Outside of these mandated expenses, the
Borough's municipal tax levy actually decreased while maintaining the same
level of services our residents expect.
To further reduce the impact on taxpayers, we utilized approximately 50% of the
Borough's surplus (fund balance) and identified an additional $30,000 in budget
reductions without reducing municipal services.
I'm also proud to note that many of the improvements you've seen throughout
town—including park enhancements, stormwater infrastructure repairs, sidewalk
improvements, and roadway paving—have been funded through state and county
grants or the Monmouth County Road Improvement Program, reducing the need for
local taxpayer funding.
The Borough Council and I are deeply concerned about the financial burden these
increases place on our residents and businesses. We remain committed to
pursuing every opportunity for additional savings, grant funding, and shared
services to help control future costs.
If you would like assistance reviewing your individual tax bill or
understanding how it was calculated, please don't hesitate to contact me. I am
happy to meet with residents and explain your bill in detail.
Example Tax Bill Breakdown
In this example, a property's overall tax burden increased by approximately
10.97%.
Because New Jersey municipalities adopt their final budgets midway through the
year, the annual increase is largely reflected in the third and fourth quarter
tax bills, making those payments substantially higher than the first two
quarters.
Tax Payment Timeline
• Q1 2026: Approximately $2,549.41 (Preliminary)
• Q2 2026: Approximately $2,549.42 (Preliminary)
• Q3 2026: $3,108.89 (Reflects the full-year tax increase)
• Q4 2026: $3,108.90 (Reflects the full-year tax increase)
Preliminary 2027 Tax Bills
• Q1 2027: Approximately $2,829.15
• Q2 2027: Approximately $2,829.16
Final 2027 Tax Bills
• Q3 2027: To be determined following adoption of the 2027 municipal budget.
• Q4 2027: To be determined following adoption of the 2027 municipal budget.
Why Did Taxes Increase?
The primary reasons include:
• Annual Property Reassessments: Monmouth County now adjusts assessed property
values annually to better reflect current market conditions.
• Mandatory Budget Increases: More than $152,000 in additional expenses were
outside the Borough's control, including:
- Healthcare premiums increased by 33.8%.
- Police expenses (safety, training, salaries) totaled 9.2%.
- State pension contributions increased by 10.6%.
Where Your Property Tax Dollars Go
For a sample annual property tax bill of $11,316.62:
• School District (61%): Approximately $6,903.14
• Borough Government (28%): Approximately $3,168.65
• Monmouth County & Open Space (11%): Approximately $1,244.83
While the Borough government is responsible for delivering essential municipal
services—including police protection, public works, parks, road maintenance,
and administration—it represents only about 28% of the total property tax bill.
Thank you for your continued patience, understanding, and support. Please know
that the Borough Council and I remain committed to protecting taxpayer dollars
while maintaining the high-quality services that make Allentown Borough a
wonderful place to live and work.
Sincerely,
Thomas C. Fritts
Mayor, Allentown Borough