I want to thank and commend Moorestown Mayor Nicole Gillespie and the Moorestown Town Council for recently committing to a zero municipal tax increase for 2020. Along with the Burlington County Freeholders commitment to a zero-tax increase in May, this will offer great relief to taxpayers during this challenging year.
Enacting a zero-tax increase has not been an easy achievement for Moorestown. 2020 is a challenging year for Moorestown Township. Revenue is down nearly one quarter million dollars from COVID related restrictions, and the township was hit with a $160,000 increase in the sanitation contract. Plus, in 2017 and 2018, our township settled with PREIT, the owner of the Moorestown Mall, for property tax reimbursements over $4.6 million dollars, further straining our budget. But the Moorestown Town Council recognized these difficult times for taxpayers.
Last December, I met with Ms. Gillespie and Lisa Petriello, at one of their citizens “listening sessions,” when Ms. Petriello was Mayor and Ms. Gillespie was deputy mayor. I asked that they work to hold the line on municipal taxes. Despite these difficult circumstances, they did. I am pleased that we now have an accessible and responsive town council working for us in Moorestown. Thank you!
Mark Hines
