Demand PILOTs for Schools!
Join us at the Montclair Township Council meeting, and sign the petition.
Where: Montclair Municipal Building, 205 Claremont Ave.
When: Tuesday, May 16 at 6 pm (but it’s ok if you need to arrive late)
Sign our petition at: https://chng.it/XBpJ8WhL
As Montclair continues to build luxury apartments that do not pay school taxes because they pay PILOTs (payments in lieu of taxes), we must ensure schools receive a fair share of these payments, which are outside the 2% budget increase cap because they are considered non-tax revenue. Currently, the municipality keeps 95% of PILOTs, sends 5% to the county, and NOTHING to the schools.
Not sharing PILOTs breaks our social contract: everyone in the community supports our public schools at a level proportional to their property value. The wealthiest property owners in our town are getting huge property tax discounts through sweetheart PILOT agreements. Thus, instead of sharing revenue with the schools, the Township gives tax breaks to wealthy developers.
While Montclair is not required to share PILOT revenues with the schools, many towns already do this because it is fair and proper. For example, Princeton recently started sending over $2 million in PILOT revenue to its public schools, and Cedar Grove sends $1.2 million.
ENOUGH! DEMAND A FAIR SHARE FOR MONTCLAIR SCHOOLS!
Please join us in taking action to make the township share non-tax revenue, particularly PILOTs, with our schools.
Please ask your friends and neighbors to sign the petition and meet us at the Montclair Township Council Meeting tomorrow, May 16, at 6 pm.
MAKE POSTERS!
Some of us are bringing posters that say:
PILOTs for schools now!
To stop the bleed, we need PILOTs for schools.
No new firefighters! PILOTs for schools!
Stay tuned for our next update: all about PILOTs. If you cannot wait, I recommend reading this report.
Join an organizing meeting:
Monday, May 15, at 12:30 pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89351509885?pwd=L1ZMVW00SmkzZUhuWnJZL3VyaHlNZz09