AARP believes that taxes should be based on an individual’s income and that property taxes should be affordable.

New Jersey’s proposed state budget will eliminate Homestead Property Tax Rebates this year, causing hardship for many of our most vulnerable citizens.

The loss of this rebate will affect hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents, and many of them make less than $10,000 per year. These people rely on their rebate check to help make ends meet and the state is turning to them to help balance the budget. The people who should be responsible to pay taxes are those that can afford it.

Low-income New Jerseyans use their rebates to help pay for necessities such as food, medications, clothes and rent. How can they be expected to pay taxes when they are struggling to get by? They need the rebate program.

AARP supports legislation to reinstate Homestead Property Tax Rebates. Low-income seniors have no alternative means to make ends meet, but the state can look elsewhere to balance its budget. It is important that we urge our state legislators to support this measure immediately.
Fran Nimeck
AARP volunteer
North Brunswick