Category Archives: tax appeals

City Council approves two more tax judgments

City Council approved tax refunds for two more commercial properties that won tax judgments for 2012 and 2013. The governing body approved AR-112-14 at its regular meeting May 12.

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Dornoch property wins tax appeal for 2012

A Main Street property that was among more than a half-dozen properties acquired years ago by developer Dornoch Holdings won a tax appeal, knocking about 17 percent off the tax bill for 2012 and a 6-percent reduction in the assessment.

1501 Main Street
(File photo)

The property at 1501 Main St. (Block 320, Lot 12) had an overall property tax bill of almost $14,700 last year. The assessment for 2013 was $229,700 and reduced by about 6.3 percent to $215,100, according to property records.

The City Council authorized a credit of $2,505.79 due to a judgment of the Continue reading Dornoch property wins tax appeal for 2012

Shopping center wins five-year tax appeal

Another month, another multi-year tax appeal is settled.  A shopping center that straddles the border of Rahway and Woodbridge will get a refund of more than $188,000 on its tax bill over the last five years after the City Council approved a judgment by the state Tax Court.

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Elizabeth Avenue parcel wins tax judgment

A commercial warehouse property on Elizabeth Avenue will get a nearly 24-percent break on its 2013 property tax bill as a result of a state tax court judgment. Nearly 120 properties had successful appeals at the county level, resulting in some $182,000 in refunds for the 2013 tax year.

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Office center settles for 25% tax appeal reduction

Due to “popular demand,” our “Tax appeal week” posts have been extended into another week. OK, the real reason is I couldn’t get it done last week.

Continue reading Office center settles for 25% tax appeal reduction

2013 tax appeals ding city for almost $182,000

About 120 properties won tax appeals at the Union County Board of Taxation this fall, collectively knocking almost $182,000 off their tax bills for the 2012 year.

Continue reading 2013 tax appeals ding city for almost $182,000

State Tax Court judgment slashes tax bill in half

Let’s call it “Tax appeal week” at Rahway Rising as we catch up on a few more tax appeals over the last several months, including those approved at the county tax board, decided at the state Tax Court or settled with the city.

STS Tire and Auto Center on St. Georges Ave. (Block 7, Lot 1) had its 2012 tax bill cut in half after a judgment by the state Tax Court. The City Council authorized a refund of $16,705.26 at its Nov. 12 meeting (AR-240), some 46 percent off the total property tax bill of about $36,310 paid by STS on its three St. Georges Avenue lots.

The main parcel on St. Georges Avenue, about a third of an acre and including the building, is assessed for $512,000 and had a tax bill of $29,906 in 2012. Two other land-only lots (Block 7, Lots 2 and 3), which were not appealed, are assessed at a combined $105,900, with taxes of $6,404, for a total 2012 tax bill of about $36,310.

Bridgewater-based STS also was among more than 120 tax appeals in the city for the 2013 tax year that were approved by the county tax board. The City Council approved the judgements at its October meeting and we’ll post details on those appeals and new assessments later this week.

Tax judgement results in 2-percent break

A judgement by the state Tax Court resulted in a 2-percent reduction for one of the city’s largest taxpayers in the 2010 tax year, but no change in the property’s overall assessment.

The City Council approved resolution AR-230 at its Oct. 15 meeting, authorizing a $7,001 credit for the overpayment of taxes to Renaissance at Rahway, LLC, which does business as Meridia Grand. The building was constructed in 2010 by Capodagli Property Company, which sold it in 2011 for $19 million.

The 88-unit Meridia Grand on Monroe Street and East Grand Avenue is assessed at $5.362 million, for a property tax bill of about $324,420 last year. A $7,001 reduction is about 2.16 percent. The size and nature of a tax appeal can determine what venue it’s decided in and larger tax appeals can take longer to resolve.

The number of tax appeals filed doubled in 2010, and it was the same year that Merck initiated a massive tax appeal on its property, which resulted in a settlement and multi-year reduction. Renaissance at Rahway/Meridia Grand was among the top 10 property taxpayers in the city that year.

The City Council also approved refunds for 2013 tax appeals, which will be detailed in an upcoming post.