Jeffrey Bridal Love, a lifelong Pennsauken resident, told the committee his 2024 tax bill was about $9,300, he said he received an estimate of $10,600 earlier this year, and that his actual 2025 tax bill arrived at $12,600. "That is one third of what I was paying," Bridal Love told the committee during public comment, calling the increase unfair and asking for a reevaluation.

Why it matters: large changes in property assessments and tax bills can affect retirees and fixed-income households and may prompt requests for appeals or administrative review.

Bridal Love said he is semi-retired, has a pension, and recently paid for a new roof and gutters; he asked how assessments were calculated and whether township projects were funded by taxpayer dollars rather than grants. Committee members responded at length: a speaker for the committee clarified that the $20,000,000 construction cost for the planned community center is covered entirely by grant funding and that the township expects to redevelop and sell the old municipal/library property to help cover related debt-service costs for other facilities. The speaker also explained that some state programs discussed at the meeting (for example, tax-freeze or senior programs) are managed at the state level and do not alter local assessment processes directly.

The committee advised Bridal Love to meet with tax-assessment staff to review his file and said township staff and the tax office can look for errors or available relief programs. A committee member said, "We can review this and go through it to make sure that something isn't wonky and see if there are avenues to fix that for you." No vote or decision to change assessments was made at the meeting.

Officials reiterated that while construction of the new community center is grant-funded, operating costs after construction will be a municipal expense; they also said demolition and site work at the old library will be part of the redevelopment plan. The committee did not announce any immediate tax relief measures and directed staff to follow up with the resident about the assessment and possible appeal pathways.

Residents were encouraged to contact the township tax office or the staff member identified during the meeting to schedule a review. The committee said it will provide more details about the community center financing and redevelopment plan as those items move forward.