City of Cape May

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

The Department of Finance is responsible for the custody of monies received and disbursed; and for the maintenance of financial records. The Department of Finance is divided into the divisions of Treasury, Tax Collection, and Tax Assessments. Click on the Division you wish to review.

Division of Treasury 

Chief Financial Officer:  James Penn
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9544

Principal Payroll/Personnel Clerk:  Stacey Halbruner
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9543

Senior Account Clerk:  Genevieve McCaney 
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9542

The Division of Treasury is headed by the Chief Financial Officer the division is responsible for the disbursement of all funds including purchase order encumbrances and the payment of bills, the receipt and deposit of funds, investments, supervise all aspects of the payroll including the issuance of paychecks and all payroll reporting requirements, the maintenance of financial records including the municipal budget and any grant programs awarded the City of Cape May.

 

  2007 City of Cape May Budget (Adopted 4/16/07):    

 

REVENUES:

 

EXPENSES:

 

Surplus

$ 2,000,000

Salaries & Wages

$ 5,716,283

Local

$ 4,503,871

Other Expenses

$ 3,700,041

State Aid

$    512,722

Statutory/Deferred

$    898,400

State & Fed Grants

$    164,669

State & Fed Grants

$     164,669

Delinquent Taxes

$    130,000

Capital/Open Space

$     418,000

Local Purpose Tax

$ 6,027,799

Debt Service

$ 1,684,500

 

 

Res for Uncoll Taxes

$    757,168

Total:

$13,339,061

Total:

$13,339,061

 

DIVISION OF TAX COLLECTION 

Tax Collector:  Bruce MacLeod
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9587

Deputy Tax Collector:  Joann Bradley
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9541

Senior Tax Clerk:  Patricia Dillon
Phone Number:  (609) 884-9540

The Tax Collector is responsible for the billing and collection of all real estate taxes, and the maintenance of all records pertaining to billings, collections, veteran and senior citizen deductions, results of tax appeals, and all required reports for the City of Cape May. In New Jersey, the local municipality is the conduit for billing and collecting taxes due for school and county taxes. The City of Cape May tax bill includes amounts due for the general County tax, County Library tax, County Open Space tax, the Local District School tax, and the Regional School tax, as well as the Local Purpose tax. Only the Local Purpose tax is kept by the City of Cape May for operational expenses. State of New Jersey law requires the local municipality to pay 100% of the taxes due to the county and schools quarterly. The municipality absorbs any shortfall in the amount of taxes actually collected

Percentage of Tax Collection 

          2006    -  98.94%
2005  -  98.77%
2004  -  98.71%
2003  -  99.04%
2002  -  98.71%
2001  -  98.69% 
2000  -  98.33%
1999  -  98.32%
1998  -  98.30%
1997  -  97.79%
1996    -  96.98%
1995    -  96.54% 

TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE

Tax Assessor - Michael Jones
Phone Number: 609-884-9545

Office Hours:  8:30 - 4:30 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. 12  to 8 PM Wednesday

Contact Person: Dianne Kelly - Assessing Clerk

Office Hours: 8:30 - 4:30 Tues. Wed. & Thurs.

The Tax Assessor is responsible for establishing and setting the values assigned to every property (land and structures) in the municipality including those exempt from taxation (i.e. churches). New Jersey law requires that all property values be set as of each October 1st for the next ensuing year. The Assessor maintains detailed records of each property reflecting lot dimensions, the type and size of structures present, and as to the primary purpose of each structure whether for residential or business activities. In addition to maintaining property records, the assessor is responsible for maintaining sales price data of properties sold; maintaining the official tax map of the municipality; and for setting the assessed value on all building additions/improvements or new construction completed during the year known as "added assessments."

The net valuation taxable of a municipality is the assessed value upon which taxes are computed and the basis for setting the tax rate.

Net valuation taxable

                                                                    2007  -  $2,204,125,857
                                                                    2006  -  $2,175,483,297
                                                                                    2005  -  $2,111,729,697
                                                                                    2004  -  $2,075,693,395 (Reval)

2003 - $827,501,963
2002 - $811,718,585
2001 - $805,331,806
2000 - $802,152,773
1999 - $789,967,570
1998 - $777,251,888
1997 - $767,855,162
1996 - $770,778,039

The following items are available for review by the general public:

The Assessor's Field Book lists every property in the City of Cape May. It gives the owner's name and address, the size and property location and the assessment. 

The Tax Map of the City of Cape May shows the shape and dimensions of every property.

SR1A forms are a record of each sale of property in the city. It shows the seller's and buyer's name, the date of sale, the assessment of the property, and the selling price.

In addition, the Property Record Card of each property is on file and an owner may look at his or her card to obtain a breakdown of their assessment.

Senior Citizen Deduction and Veteran Deduction applications are also available to those qualified homeowners.

 

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