Report: Cedar Grove Has Lowest County Municipal Taxes

Members of the Cedar Grove Township Council took extra pride when a Star-Ledger report Sunday, Jan. 13 showed the township ranked well below the average Essex County municipal tax rates for New Jersey.

The article was the main discussion point during the 12-minute council meeting on Monday.

According to the report, the average municipal tax in Cedar Grove is $1,853, well below the $3,942 average Essex County municipal tax.

Council members congratulated Cedar Grove Township Manager Thomas Tucci, Township Attorney Thomas Scrivo and other township staff using words like “proactive” and “frugal.”

“I would like to congratulate Mr. Tucci and all the staff for what you have done on the municipal tax,” said Deputy Mayor Robert O'Toole. “It is the lowest in Essex County.”

Not only is it the lowest in Essex County, but the next lowest municipal tax is 17 percent higher than Cedar Grove's, said Councilman John Zunic referring to Fairfield's municipal tax of $2,227.

Verona is ranked number six on the list at $2,673.

“It's a team effort and the amazing part to me is how much difference there is between us and even the second lowest. Moving down the scale it just gets wider and wider,” said Tucci. “This is an ongoing struggle, we are already onto next year's budget and we need to continue the struggle.”