On the Issues: How NJ Governor Candidates Say They’d Tackle Property Taxes
This story was reported and written by New Jersey State House News Service intern reporters Victoria Gladstone, Paige Britt, Emma Ferschweiler, Madison Miller and Abby Thomas.
New Jersey homeowners pay the highest property taxes in the country — averaging $10,095 in 2024. But in many communities, including the Hopewell Valley, the average property taxes are significantly higher than the state average:
Hopewell Borough: $13,786
Hopewell Township: $14,954
Pennington Borough: $15,623
Candidates for governor say they want to ease the burden. But among those running in the June primary, few offer detailed plans for how they would do so.
Some propose building more housing to expand local tax bases. Others favor rebates funded by the state. And several want to see wealthier New Jerseyans pay what they call a fairer share.
Democrats
Ras Baraka, mayor of Newark, said property tax fairness requires the wealthy to contribute more. “There are people who make millions of dollars and spend less of their income on taxes than people who make $100,000 or less,” he said.
Steve Fulop, mayor of Jersey City and a former Wall Street trader, says the state must consolidate small municipalities and cut redundant services. He also wants to restrict towns’ access to capital markets, forcing them to collaborate on big-ticket items. In addition, Fulop supports raising income taxes on high earners. “The millionaire’s tax from 20 years ago is no longer a millionaire’s tax,” he said. “You need to think about how you capture revenue from people that make $2 million and $5 million.”
Mikie Sherrill, a U.S. Representative, also calls for more shared services — including consolidated building offices, animal control, and courts. She wants to reduce local taxpayer spending on public employee health benefits and is calling for an audit of the state health plan to recover potential overpayments.
Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association, has not outlined a specific plan to rein in property tax growth. He proposes expanding access to affordable housing, health care, child care, and clean energy — which he says would leave more money in residents’ pockets.
Steve Sweeney, former state Senate President, supports Stay NJ, a rebate program set to begin in July under Governor Phil Murphy. Most homeowners over age 65 will qualify for rebates of up to $3,250. Sweeney wants to lower the program’s income cap from $500,000 to $250,000.
In 2011, Sweeney and then-Gov. Chris Christie enacted a 2% cap on annual property tax hikes. “Right now, the average property tax is over $10,000,” he said. “If I had not put the 2% cap on, it would be over $15,000 right now.”
A longtime advocate for consolidating services across the state’s 21 counties, 564 towns, and nearly 600 school districts, Sweeney said: “We have to do government differently.”
Josh Gottheimer, a U.S. Representative, did not respond to several requests for comment.
Republicans
Jon Bramnick, a state senator, proposed a bill to exempt injured first responders from property taxes. As governor, he says he would push for fully funded schools and return surplus education funds to homeowners. “Property taxes for the average resident would fall by $800 immediately,” Bramnick said.
Mario Kranjac, former mayor of Englewood Cliffs, says the solution lies in cutting state spending. “We have a $58 billion budget in New Jersey,” he said. “It should be more like $40 billion, $45 billion, and once you cut it, you’ll be able to pass on those tax savings. There’s no reason why property owners in New Jersey need to keep paying for their homes over and over.”
Bill Spadea, a former NJ 101.5-FM radio host, wants to grow the tax base by creating “corporate zones” in low-income cities like Camden and Newark, with reduced taxes for companies that hire at least 80% local and legally documented workers.
“We’re going to have an opportunity to start making things again,” Spadea said. “And I want to see those things – car parts, machine parts, pharmaceuticals – made in our cities.”
Jack Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman and 2021 GOP nominee for governor, did not respond to requests for comment. Neither did Justin Barbera, a contractor.
