MONMOUTH COUNTY BOARD OF TAXATION
MCBOT ESSAY CONTEST
Property taxation is one of New Jersey’s most pressing public concerns. Within New Jersey, for most residents
over their lifetime, property taxation will be their single biggest expense. When you rent, it is there. When the
mortgage is paid off, it is there. When nothing has physically changed about your property, it is there and it
typically increases year-over-year. The current assessment model has gone remarkably unchanged since the
1960s. Unfortunately, the chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.
It is the goal of the Monmouth County Board of Taxation to create a modern framework that provides for the
most cost-effective, transparent and fair mechanism for the annual distribution of the property tax levy.
Additionally, the Board seeks out opportunities to have all citizens better understand the critical role of
property taxation.
To that end, the Tax Board wishes to educate high school students about one of New Jersey’s most urgent and
seemingly intractable challenges. To facilitate the education of our youth the Board is conducting an essay
contest focused on examining the property assessment function. Through the contest, participants will be
introduced to and explore the frailties of New Jersey’s property taxation system, learn about the function of
the public sector and, possibly, bring creative and effective solutions.
CONTEST DETAILS