DePhillips says residents drowning in taxes, pushes towns to pledge no rain tax

TRENTON, N.J. – In an effort to provide relief to taxpayers, Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips pushes towns to pledge against passing a rain tax.

“Over the past few days I have joined Assemblyman Ryan Peters by imploring municipalities to oppose the rain tax by taking the ‘no rain tax’ pledge and passing a ‘no rain tax resolution.’” I have reached out to mayors in my district and many of them have agreed that our residents are overtaxed and charging people for rain would only add insult to injury,” said DePhillips (R-Bergen).

In March, Gov. Murphy signed the rain tax into law authorizing municipalities and counties to create stormwater utilities that will charge property owners based on how much they contribute to runoff. The legislation doesn’t cap the amount of fees the utility can charge and allows liens to be placed against a property for unpaid fees.

“My hope is that all of the towns in my district and across New Jersey will band together in this opposition,” said DePhillips. “We need to send a message to the governor that enough is enough and show that local officials are drawing a line in the sand.”

As of Monday, the following mayors have joined DePhillips and promised to protect property owners from another tax: Cedar Grove Mayor Joseph Cicala, Totowa Mayor John Coiro, Wyckoff Mayor Thomas Madigan, Pompton Lakes Mayor Michael Serra, Pequannock Mayor David Kohle, Allendale Mayor Ari Bernstein, and Waldwick Mayor Thomas Giordano.

“New Jersey taxpayers are already faced with the burden of paying the highest taxes in the nation and now the governor is proposing a tax on rain,” said Cedar Grove Mayor Cicala. “I stand behind Assemblyman DePhillips in calling on municipalities to come together and signal to their tax-paying residents and businesses that New Jersey’s tax burden is too high and we need to fully support the passing of the resolution proclaiming that municipalities will not overtax our residents for rain.”

Coiro, the mayor of Totowa said, “I think our residents have enough taxes and fees to pay each year. So assessing one group of taxpayers a separate fee or tax will just add to their burden. We do not presently have a separate sewer fee in Totowa so I would be opposed to a separate rain tax on a portion of our residents.”

DePhillips has been vocal in his opposition to the rain tax. When the bill came before the Assembly for a vote earlier this year, DePhillips urged the Democrats to vote down the proposal.

WATCH: DePhillips implores NJ Democrats not to pass a tax on rain (They Did)

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