To the Editor: Check Your Tax Bill, West Deptford

To the Editor:

West Deptford Mayor Chintall and the Republican Majority wrote a letter to the editor that ran in the South Jersey Times on Oct 25, and have been delivering that same message via mail to West Deptford Residents.

The letter is a blatant misrepresentation of multiple facts that are clearly stated on your 2013 tax bill.

Their letter states “the county tax rate increased 5.6 cents per $100 for West Deptford, a $114.38 increase for the average home.”

This is simply not true.

If you look at your tax 2013 bill, you will see that your county tax rate is .308. Last year, the county tax rate was .510, which is a .202 decrease.

Despite the Republican majority having claimed multiple times that we would see a county decrease to offset the municipal tax increase, the majority now insists that the county rate increased.

Simple math will show you that there was no county increase.

Additionally, your 2013 tax bill will show you that the municipal tax rate is 1.052. Last year the municipal tax rate was .786, which is a .266 increase.

Once again, simple math will show you that the Republican Majority raised your municipal taxes, and the average taxpayer is paying $550 more in municipal taxes this year, for a total budget increase of $4.736 million.

There are only two reasons why the Republican majority would write a letter like this: (1) they don’t understand their own budget or (2) they are intending to deceive the taxpayers.

Neither of these reasons moves West Deptford forward in a positive direction.

Denice DiCarlo, CPA
Committeewoman, West Deptford Township