Tax Rates Still Uncertain
Atlantic County says all municipalities except Port Republic and Atlantic City will see a county tax-rate hike this year, reports The Press of Atlantic City. The county is quick to lay the blame on the Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) deal that the state handed the casinos. But it’s actually still not clear exactly what the rates will have to be per municipality, the Press reports. While we all sit and wait for the county to turn on its calculator, you can check out this NJ Spotlight interactive map on property taxes across the state for some perspective.
Cedarville, NJ. Picture by @southjerseyadventurer on Instagram.
Campaign Finance
If you’re following the election for governor, you might be interested in this NJSpotlight analysis of who has raised and spent the most money. No prizes for guessing that front-runner Phil Murphy is also top of the money pile, but you might be surprised to learn that Atlantic County’s Hirsh Singh has raised more than $1 million. Singh has spent a fraction of that amount, though. Murphy’s spending just dwarfs that of everyone else.
In the rest of the day’s news, the Miss America organization has moved into Boardwalk Hall (we reported in October that they got a sweet deal from CRDA for that space), EHT residents are worried about a proposed clay-shooting facility moving into a golf course, Pleasantville has cut its schools’ athletic director and dozens more jobs, and South Jersey Congressman Macarthur – who helped revive the American Health Care Act – listened to a lot of angry constituents yesterday. All that and more below:
Driver Killed on Black Horse Pike May Have Been Hit by Racer, Cops Say–A witness reported the striking vehicle was racing with another car before the collision, police said. Elliott J. Festa Jr, 26, of Hammonton, was driving a 2013 Subaru Impreza eastbound on the South Black Horse Pike around 10 p.m. when he collided with a 2007 Nissan Murano driven by Matthew H. Anderson, 33, of Pemberton, who was making a left turn from the westbound lanes. NJ.com
‘Perfect Storm’ Ship Sunk–The Coast Guard cutter made famous in the book and film The Perfect Storm has been sunk off the New Jersey and Delaware coasts so it can become part of an artificial reef. The 205-foot Tamaroa was sunk Wednesday morning, after previous sinking plans were repeatedly delayed by rough seas and related issues. Philly.com
Police Officers Ride for Atlantic City Cop Who Survived–The Police Unity Tour usually honors officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. But on Wednesday, dozens of riders left Atlantic City in honor of one who lived. BreakingAC
Program Offers 60 Summer Jobs for Atlantic City Youth–Atlantic City officials have announced a youth employment program for the summer. This will be the second year for the program, which is put on in partnership with the Atlantic County Workforce Development Board. www.snjtoday.com