Department
of Tax Assessor
Mission
Statement
It is the mission
of the Franklin Township - Division of Assessment Administration to
assess all real estate with the boarders of this municipality at is
true value on October 1 of the pretax year. The purpose of assessments
is for the equitable distribution of real estate taxes.
The laws of the
state of New Jersey, specifically N.J.S.A 54:4-23, sets forth the fundamental
function of the Tax Assessor to assess all real property on an annual
basis:
"All
real property shall be assessed to the person owning the same
on October 1, in each year. The Assessor shall ascertain the
names of the names of the owners of all real property situated
in his taxing district, and after examination and inquiry, determine
the full and fair value of each parcel of real property situated
in the taxing district at such price as, in his judgment, it
would sell for at a fair and bona fide sale by private contract
on October 1 next preceding the date on which the Assessor shall
complete his assessment."
Pursuant to N.J.S.A.
54: 4-34, the Tax Assessor operates under the guidance of the Director
of the Division of Taxation and the County Board of Taxation. Accordingly,
the governing body has not right whatsoever to examine or influence
the Assessor as to valuation and assessment method since the responsibilities
of the Assessor are independent of control by the Municipal Government.
