Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka are clashing over how the county's $468 million tax levy hits local homeowners. The dispute touches all 22 Essex County municipalities, including Millburn and Livingston.
Baraka argued in an Aug. 28 op-ed in the New Jersey Globe that Essex County owns 55 tax-exempt properties inside Newark with a combined assessed value of $717.2 million. If the county paid the same tax rate it charges Newark residents, Baraka wrote, it would owe the city $30.3 million in property taxes.
"The responsibility for supporting them should be shared accordingly, not borne disproportionately by Newark homeowners alone," Baraka wrote.
DiVincenzo responded in a Thursday, Sept. 3 statement, calling Baraka's focus on the county "misguided." He pointed to the county's AA+ bond rating, 23 consecutive on-time budgets and an average annual tax increase of 1.07% over the past decade, according to TAPinto Newark.
DiVincenzo also accused Newark of collecting an extra $30 million from taxpayers without forwarding it to the county as required by law, then receiving a $30 million state bailout. Baraka rejected that characterization on Friday, Sept. 4, saying the state assistance was a loan to help Newark pay its county tax obligation, not a bailout.
Why it matters locally
County taxes make up a significant slice of what Millburn and Livingston homeowners pay each year. In 2025, county taxes accounted for 21.5% of Millburn's total tax bill and 17.9% of Livingston's, according to the Township of Livingston's 2026 budget presentation. That share rose to 18.8% for Livingston in 2026.
The stakes are real. The overall county levy increased 1.74% in 2026, according to Adam Tucker, public information officer for the Essex County Board of Commissioners. How that levy gets divided among municipalities depends in part on each town's property assessments relative to market value.
That formula is at the heart of the dispute. Newark has not conducted a property revaluation in 14 years, even though state law requires one every 10 years. Newark properties are assessed at 50–55% of market value, according to Newark Business Administrator Eric Pennington. Tucker told TAPinto Newark that the delayed revaluation explains why Newark's county levy share jumped 6.8%, from $92.2 million to $98.5 million, while the countywide increase was far smaller.
Newark officials have cited a $37 million increase in the city's county levy share during 2026 budget hearings. The county's own figures show a $6.3 million year-over-year increase. The discrepancy appears to stem from different calculation methods. Both sides attribute the gap to Newark's outdated property assessments.
November election
Both the county executive seat and the District 4 commissioner seat covering Livingston and Millburn are on the Nov. 3 ballot. DiVincenzo, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary with 54,061 votes, faces Republican Maritza Matthews. Incumbent District 4 Commissioner Leonard Luciano faces Republican Adam Kraemer.
The League of Women Voters of Livingston will host a District 4 candidate forum on Sept. 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Livingston Community Center, 204 Hillside Ave.
Millburn's tax collector page notes the township estimated its third-quarter tax rate because Essex County had not yet completed its budget. Final 2025 and preliminary 2026 tax bills are scheduled to be mailed Sept. 19, with the next payment due Nov. 1.
