Tax Assessor
Bernadette E. Leonardi, Certified Tax Assessor
BernadetteL@NJtown.net
Atlantic County Tax List and Sales Information is now available on the
New Jersey Association of County Tax Board's website
www.njactb.org.
The Tax Assessor's office is primarily responsible
for the maintenance of all assessments in the Township, the Sales Ratio Program,
Abatements, Exemptions and for keeping the governing body and it's property
owners up to date and informed on any changes in the Tax Laws as they arise.
The Assessor prepares the Tax Lists which are filed annually each January with
Atlantic County Board of Taxation and the Division of Taxation, once filed they
cannot be changed during the Tax Year. The Tax Lists comprise all the
properties in the Township, both taxable and nontaxable in Block and Lot order.
As a courtesy to the taxpayers one book includes all the exempt properties in
the Township.
The Tax Assessor works daily with the Tax Collector to
insure the accuracy of mailing addresses, names, billing codes and assessments
for example.
Minor and Major subdivisions are reviewed and new lot
numbers are established. All permits received by the State Building
Inspectors are reviewed, and properties are inspected, measured and photos are
taken of each one, additions, decks, and new homes are some examples of
inspections. Certified Lists are prepared, these are names and addresses
which are 200' radius of a requested block and lot.
Contingent property owners' lists are prepared for the
Clerk's office when requested for land sales.
911 property location addresses are established by the
Assessor utilizing the 911 maps which were created in 1998 by the Township
Engineering Firm. The Assessor worked very closely and what seemed to be
endless hours with the 911 Coordinator, Mr. Michael Burshtin, prior to Mike, Mr.
Leo Foy.
As a courtesy to the property owners of Buena Vista
Township the Assessors' office tries to maintain up to date literature on the
New Jersey Property Tax Relief Programs as they become available.
Applications are always available in the office for Qualified Senior Citizens
and Veterans. There are age and income requirements to be met for Seniors,
Wartime status for Veterans and ownership criteria for both.
Bernadette has been the Tax Assessor since her
appointment August 8, 1994. Prior to Buena Vista Township she traveled
many miles of New Jersey while she worked for a Revaluation Company for nine
years, was the Deputy Assessor for the Township of Pemberton and finally the
Field Representative for the Burlington County Board of Taxation.
She served three years as President of the Atlantic
County Assessor's Association and presently still serves on the Executive Board.
And she attends the Atlantic County Municipal Officials Meetings.
She has proudly lived in Buena Vista Township for 26
years and loved coaching Little League, Major and Senior girls. And she
worked Concession stands for Buena Little League and for the Buena High School
Football games.
She is most proud of the love of her life, Annie her
daughter, who unfortunately does not want to be an Assessor. She works
very hard full time and attends college part time for her dream, to become a
Psychologist.
Bernadette's other joys are her five grandchildren,
Sammy, Sadie, Spot, Simba and Charlotte. WOOF, WOOF, MEOW, WOOF and MEOW!!
And lastly her trademarks are: Smiles, Twizzlers and
Bones.
Stefanie B. Cervini, Assistant to the Tax Assessor
Stefanie has been a bright addition to the
Assessor's Office since February 2003.
Her duties are varied, listing a few they include
answering the telephone, filing, typing and assisting the public when they
arrive at our door.
She is a lifelong resident of our neighboring Vineland.
She graduated from Vineland High School in 1999. Stefanie is a proud aunt
of her brother's and his wife's baby twins, Dylan and Paige, who live in Buena
Vista Township.
She is an avid collector of Pez dispensers and Winnie
the Pooh. Fortunately for me she was well into Smiles before she accepted
the position as my Assistant.
