Old Bridge property tax bills going up. Here's how much

OLD BRIDGE - Township homeowners will see a 4.13% increase in their 2024-25 property tax bills.

For a home assessed at the township average of $156,542, taxpayers can expect to see an increase of about $356.92 or a 4.13% increase in their total tax bill, which includes municipal, county, county open space, school, library, and fire district taxes.

Properties in Old Bridge are assessed at 33.49% of their market value, Dawn Swoboda, the township's chief financial officer, said during the July 9 Township Council meeting.

The largest increase is in the school tax rate, which makes up about 58% of the total tax levy. The school tax increased about 5.70% or about $281.78, she said.

In addition to the school district tax increase, from 2023 to 2024, the county open space tax, about 2% of the total tax levy, increased 5.88% or about $7.83 for a home assessed at the township's average. The library tax, also about 2% of the total tax levy, increased by 5.38% or about $7.83 for an average assessed home, Swoboda said.

The county tax, about 17% of the total tax levy, increased by 2.38% or about $36 for an average assessed home.

The municipal tax , which makes up about 17% of the total tax bill and funds police, roads, recreation and other municipal services, increased by 1.40% or about $21.92 for an average assessed home, she said.

The fire district taxes, about 4% of the tax levy, increased 0.45% or about $1.57, but varies depending on in which fire district taxpayers live, she said.

The municipal tax is the only tax that the mayor, administration and council can control, Swoboda said.

Swoboda gave other billing scenarios.

"We want you to be aware of what to expect because we think there's going to be, not on our end, but on the board of education end, a substantial tax increase," Mayor Debbie Walker said.

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Business Administrator Anahita Feltz said Swoboda made the public presentation to be "transparent" and provide correct information on where the tax dollars are going.

Tax bills are mailed out once a year in July and contain four quarterly payment stubs, she said.

"We don't mail out every quarter," Swoboda said.

Swoboda told residents they can't appeal their taxes, but they can appeal their assessments.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Old Bridge property tax bills going up. Here's how much