Camden Mayor struggling to enact 23% tax increase

To help deal with a $26.5 million budget gap, the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey wants to raise property taxes by 23 percent. 

No one wants to pay more taxes.  But Robert Corrales, Mayor Dana Redd’s spokesman, said the city needs the money.  “The Mayor submitted an amended budget which will call for an increase in taxes which would only cost about – a little over $10 or $11 per month per household in Camden–per property tax owner,” Corrales said.  “This is just one of the ways that the Mayor is looking to increase revenues for the city to balance our budget.”Members of Camden City Council are reluctant to approve the tax hike.

Assemblyman Gilbert “Whip” Wilson, a former Camden City Councilman and police officer, said there needs to be an increase, but 23 percent is too much all at once.”It’s going to be very devastating to a lot of people here in the city of Camden–especially our senior citizens and people on fixed incomes,” said Wilson.  “It’s going to be very difficult for them.  You can’t be happy with a 23 percent tax increase.  It’s just too much.”  The property tax hike would be the city’s first in over a decade.