the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Wyckoff NJ, the New Jersey Division of Taxation and the Association of Municipal Tax Assessors have filed a formal complaint against Wyckoff Township following the suspension of its 30-year tax assessor, Pamela Steele.
The organizations are demanding the township rescind its Dec. 10 resolution, which suspended Steele without pay and limited her health benefits to March 31.
Jurisdictional Dispute Over Assessor Suspension
According to the complaint, the state Division of Taxation holds exclusive authority over disciplinary actions involving municipal tax assessors in New Jersey. The resolution by the Wyckoff Township Committee, the complaint asserts, unlawfully bypasses this authority.
“This is an attempt to circumvent the Division of Taxation’s sole authority to discipline or remove assessors,” stated the complaint, which is now under review by the Division.
Warnings Ignored by Township Committee
Prior to the Dec. 10 resolution, Wyckoff officials were warned about its potential illegality:
- Dec. 9: Peter Zipp, attorney for the Association of Municipal Tax Assessors, sent a letter to the Township Committee cautioning against the resolution.
- Dec. 10: Kevin Esposito, president of the association, reiterated the warning during the committee meeting.
Despite these advisories, Committeemen Thomas Madigan, Rudy Boonstra, and Roger Lane voted in favor of the resolution. Committeeman Timothy Shanley voted against it, citing its illegality, while Mayor Peter Melchionne was absent from the meeting.
Specific Allegations Against Steele
The Dec. 13 suspension petition submitted by the township labor attorney outlined accusations against Steele, including:
- Failing to meet with residents in person for years.
- Neglecting to update tax rolls and assessed values of renovated properties.
- Refusing to return to in-person work or meet to discuss accommodations.
- Failing to provide updated medical documentation for her remote work request.
Steele, who has been working remotely due to lung cancer, called the accusations “unsupported and baseless” in a subsequent interview.
State Demands Resolution Rescission
The Division of Taxation and the Association of Municipal Tax Assessors are pressuring Wyckoff to reverse the resolution. However, the Township Committee formally refused to do so on Dec. 31, intensifying the legal dispute.
What’s Next for Wyckoff and Steele?
The Division of Taxation continues to review the suspension petition while the complaint works its way through the legal process. As this case unfolds, it highlights the delicate balance between municipal governance and state oversight in New Jersey’s taxation system.
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