the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the February 19, 2025 Village Council Budget hearing, Richard Brooks spoke. He is chairperson of the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board. He implored the Village Council to provide funding to maintain and improve the parks, and to repair “wear and tear” damages to the fields. He also spoke of planning for the future for improvement and expansion of parks and fields.
This resident, Mr. Brooks, has paid a grand total of ZERO DOLLARS of his 2024 property taxes on his home on East Ridgewood Avenue. He has not paid anything toward his first quarter 2025 property taxes. In fact, the last payment he made toward property taxes was on September 26, 2023. Just prior to this 2023 payment being made, Mayor Vagianos extended a $47K mortgage (with 10% interest!), in the form of a promissory note, to Mr. Brooks and his wife Gail Price. This, presumably, enabled Brooks and Price from going into a tax sale in 2023.
Mr. Brooks and Ms. Price live in a spectacular home on East Ridgewood Avenue which is assessed at $1.2 million dollars. The annual tax on this property is $34,428. The property is now in tax sale, and there is a lien on the property. Their mansion is 5509 square feet, with five bedrooms and four bathrooms. It is quite the showplace – quite the showplace that they are living in tax-free!
This irked some residents who question how someone who does not pay property taxes has the audacity to suggest anything about expenses that the Village should incur. Residents scratch their heads and wonder who does this guy think he is, proposing how “Village ” tax dollars should be spent when he and his wife contribute NOTHING to the village budget?!? Even more outrageous is the fact that the Mayor (as well as Peron, Winograd and Weitz) knows full well that this man is not paying his taxes, yet the Council allows him to chair a committee that makes suggestions on how OUR tax dollars should be spent.
Not too long ago, Mr. Brooks experienced a medical episode to which numerous emergency workers responded. Thanks to their great efforts, his life was saved and for that everyone is grateful. We would be remiss if we did not point out, however, that these emergency workers are paid out of the property tax dollars from which our budget is funded. The budget to which this man and his wife pay ZERO.
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Unbelievable. Simply unbelievable. Only in Ridgewood.
“Rules are for thee, not for me.”
What audacity.
When did this once well-run and quaint village turn into such a cliche Jersey joke?
He should be embarrassed!
He’s not escaping property taxes; they will be paid in full with interest.
As for funding park improvements, Evan thinks we should bond it, that’s free money.
When? How long are we allowed to NOT pay taxes? What a loser. Move out if you can’t afford to be here
Of course the taxes will be paid, either by Brooks & Price or by the owner of the tax lien. Either way it is clear that unless there is a windfall, they cannot afford to live here anymore.Many families have had to make adjustments to their finances based on a number of reasons but it appears this couple wants to hold on to something that they cannot afford anymore and they may be too prideful to give it up. Maybe this is why they are hoping the billboard will go through so there is a windfall of cash from the billboard company. Wonder if Vagianos is involved, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit.
You are way out of line publicly delving into this family’s financial situation. Totally tasteless. Get some class.
not when you in a public position (board chair) and the mayor of the same town “lends” you money …. please give me a fcking break
All of this is a matter of public record. Everything mentioned in the post can be easily found on the web. No one delved into anyone’s personal business.
He and his scofflaw wife need to get some class
Not when I pay MY taxes!!! He should pay his
He will. Guaranteed, with interest. Late, that’s true. 100% guaranteed they will be paid.
Adding insult to injury, his spouse, Gail Price, is a founding partner of a law firm currently representing two clients with pending lawsuits against the Village. Only in Ridgewood.
If she is employed why isn’t she paying her taxes?
Ridgewood used to be different but now its just as “new jersey” as the rest of New Jersey
when you problems could possibly impact the whole town people deserve transparency
This is un believable. The guy gets by because he is a friend of vag. He is a tax dodger and therefore in my mind a criminal.
This has been going on a few years. An intelligent person would sell the mansion, pay the back taxes, pay off the debt to Vagianos, and move into a small house or apartment. This makes me crazy. I am living in a modest home and I pay my taxes on time every time. Brooks and price are true low life.
This story needs to be spread far and wide. He should be OFF the committee and he should be brought to task for living off the fat of the Ridgewood budget without paying a cent.
He shouldn’t be allowed to serve the public if he’s not in good standing.
Is the street in front of his mansion plowed? Are the leaves collected in the fall? Was his Christmas tree picked up? Is his garbage collected twice a week? Are his recycles picked up? Does he put stuff out for bulk refuse day? ALL OF THESE SERVICES ARE PAID FOR BY OUR TAX DOLLARS. He is a thief. Plain and simple.
Living Large, Paying Small (or Not at All). Perhaps the true secret to affording Ridgewood living isn’t income—it’s audacity and sidebar relationships with governance/enforcement.
#newjerseycomptroller #kevinwalsh #njgov come investigate
Don’t let anyone tell you that The System doesn’t work.
Delegating expenses to others while enjoying village amenities? Mr. Brooks might just be Ridgewood’s unofficial ambassador for luxury freeloading.
“Pays off” being the Mayor’s puppet. He gets to live tax-free, propose how taxes should be spent, and even enjoy services funded by others’ taxes.
#paulvagianos #villageofridgewood #sopranos
What a MAROON!
Assistant Varsity Lacrosse Coach, Ridgewood High School
Rich Brooks is entering his 3rd decade as a coach for Ridgewood Boys’ Lacrosse. He serves as assistant coach of the varsity team. During this same period he has also served as a coach for the Ridgewood High School Boys Soccer teams at all three levels of that program. Brooks is a graduate of Delbarton School and earned a BA degree from Bucknell University. He has an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to coaching, Brooks held management positions at BMW and public relations firms in the New York metropolitan area. He currently lives with his family in Ridgewood.
Source: http://www.maroonslacrosse.com/coaches.html
BUT doesn’t pay taxes like the rest of us?
Do as I say not as I do.
Oh god. The story just keeps getting worse and worse
We don’t pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes
-Leona Helmsley
And she was 100% correct. Yet look at all the “little people” in the comment section bragging about what great little people they are, and what an inestimable honor it is to be a little person, and none bows and scrapes and pays tribute so lowly as a little person such as I.
Geez. I didn’t know the swamp was this bad.
Luxury freeloading. Perfect description
It is a black mark on our community that rewards someone by letting them represent the village in an advisory capacity. In addition, he, has taken money from the mayor and continues to serve in this capacity going on multiple years of non payment. If everyone did this, the village would be bankrupt.
He should NOT be allowed to hold any position in the town until he clears up his debt. If he has time to spew any of his nonsense about improving the parks he has time to get a part time job to pay back those of us that are carrying his family due to his inability to pay his taxes. Until his taxes are paid he should be dismissed from any position in town! What an embarrassment to all of us
Ridgewood has no more money
The box department, please, it’s time for all new management, it’s ridiculous. What’s going on? All these people are all puppets. They just listened to the head puppeteer and you wonder why somebody people hate Ridgewood now.
You’d think they would be so embarrassed that they would find a way to pay all back taxes and fines and let the story die.
As for the sports fields enough already. Those have been getting priority for years. Other areas the village are falling apart and need attention.
It’s time to sell the mansion and step down from all advisory committees, pay the money back or move.
Richard CROOKS not Brooks
Nothing will happen while Vagianos is in office. Maybe the house will get sold or they will eventually pay. Brooks should not hold a position on any council until the taxes are in good standing. Period.
Rick Brooks is a really good man who has been maligned by you and Stevie Kim (husband of Kwak – who lost the council set because she was associated with Kim) . Ridgewood needs more people like Brooks. You both should be ashamed of yourselves.
Richard brooks and Gail Price paid their property taxes the day after this BLOG article appeared. LONG LIVE THE BLOG. But their is a lien on their property so likely someone else paid it.