In October 2013, Voorhees Township became the first municipality in South Jersey to introduce the Shop Voorhees Property Tax Reward Program. This program allows a portion of your normal purchasing dollars spent on goods and services in Voorhees to be applied to your property tax bill, thereby reducing your taxes at the end of the tax year. We have 51 businesses and over 6,100 residents participating in the program and the numbers continue to grow.
On May 5, the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, recognized the Property Tax Reward Program as a Top 25 program in this year’s Innovations in American Government Awards competition. These government initiatives represent the dedicated efforts of city, state, and federal governments, and address such policy issues as economic development, environmental and community revitalization, public health, equal access to education, emergency preparedness and health care. These programs were selected by a cohort of policy experts, researchers and practitioners.
The property tax reward program originated in Marlboro, in conjunction with Marlboro Township’s Shop Marlboro! Shop Local Program. Shop Voorhees Property Tax Reward Program cards were mailed to all residents in 2013. Once the card is activated, purchases at local businesses registered in the program result in a property tax credit representing a percentage of the sale amount. The reward percentage is determined by the merchant at the time of business registration. The Property Tax Reward Program is being operated by 11 townships in New Jersey (Marlboro, Hillsborough, Voorhees, West Orange, Glassboro, Bayonne, Pequannock, Vernon, Brick, Manalapan and Somerdale). The number of municipalities implementing this program is expected to increase sharply.
“These programs represent the forefront in government innovation, and a cross-section of issues of the twenty-first century, including renewable energy, community revitalization, and public-private partnerships,” said Stephen Goldsmith, Director of the Innovations in Government Program at the Ash Center. “They demonstrate that efforts to make government work better can stem not only from executive orders and statewide initiatives, but also small community programs and private citizens on social media.”
The Shop Voorhees Property Tax Reward Program has a free mobile app. If you have an iPhone or Android, download the app and find information about all participating merchants and the credit percentage each merchant is offering. Use the app for a quick search and the “click to call” feature. Once you have downloaded the app, check it often because new businesses are joining and some merchants may upgrade to include inventory and reservation capability.
The Shop Voorhees app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play for the Android.
Our Shop Voorhees program also includes a monthly “Meet the Merchant,” which highlights a selected participating business and shares valuable information about sales and specials. The program also has “Deals of the Month,” which lets participants know about available coupons and other ways to save money by shopping locally.
For more information about the Shop Voorhees Property Tax Reward Program visit the Township’s website at voorheesnj.com or our Facebook page, or contact Michael Marchitto, EDP, Voorhees Township Economic Development Director at (856) 216–0473 or edc@voorheesnj.com. Shop Voorhees cards can be picked up at Town Hall.
**The 11th Annual Wine and Food Tasting to benefit the Alicia Rose Victorious Foundation will be held on Wednesday, June 3, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Lakeside Manor, 10 Foster Ave. in Gibbsboro. The event features over 250 of the most interesting fine wines, craft beers and spirits from around the world, accompanied by gourmet delicacies. Wine experts and winemakers are available to answer questions. Ticket donations are $50 per person in advance or $60 per person at the door. For reservations, call (856) 784–0615 or visit arvf.org. The foundation installs Teen Centers in hospitals throughout the country to bring hope, excitement and entertainment to teens facing difficult conditions while receiving hospital treatment.
** The first show in our 2015 Summer Twilight Series will be on Thursday, June 11 (rain date Thursday, June 18) and will feature Beginnings, the world’s №1 tribute to Chicago. They are billed as “The Ultimate Chicago Band.” The show is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. on the “Great Lawn” at Connolly Park. For more information, visit www.voorheesnj.com or call the show hot line at 856–882-SHOW.
**The Relay for Life of Cherry Hill-Voorhees will be held on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Cherry Hill High School East at 1750 Kresson Road. The mission of Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society is to save lives and create a world with more birthdays by helping people get well, helping people stay well, finding cures for cancer and fighting back. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/cherryhill-voorheesnj or our Facebook page.
