Please be sure to let others know of these changes, especially when many are struggling as we continue to deal with COVID-19.

New for 2020  -    Veteran Property Tax Relief Legislative Changes

IMPORTANT UPDATE: If you are a veteran, service in wartime is no longer required in order to be eligible for the $250 Veterans Property Tax Deduction or as a qualification for the 100% Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption.

$250 Veterans Property Tax Deduction - Effective December 4, 2020, State law (P.L. 2019, c. 413) eliminates the wartime service requirement for the $250 Veterans Property Tax Deduction.

100% Disabled Veteran Property Tax Exemption - Effective December 4, 2020, State law (P.L. 2019, c. 413) eliminates the wartime service requirement for the 100% Totally and Permanently Disabled Veterans Property Tax Exemption. 

New for 2021 - Combat Pay

For Tax Year 2021 and forward, combat pay is not taxable in New Jersey (P.L. 2020, c. 93). The law excludes military pay for service in a combat zone, or for hospitalization as the result of injury while serving in a combat zone, from taxable income under the New Jersey Gross Income Tax Act.If your combat pay is exempt from federal income tax, it is exempt for New Jersey and should not be reported on a New Jersey Income Tax return (Form NJ-1040, Form NJ-1040NR).

This law is not retroactive. For Tax Year 2020 and prior, combat pay is still taxable income.

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2019 Senior Freeze (Property Tax Reimbursement) UPDATE

The State budget that went into effect on October 1, 2020 fully funds the 2019 Senior Freeze program. Eligible taxpayers began receiving payments on October 15, 2020.

• 65 or older on December 31, 2018; or
• Actually receiving federal Social Security disability benefit payments (not benefit payments received on behalf of someone else) on or before December 31, 2018.

 The application deadline has been extended to December 31, 2020. There's still time to file.

 Eligible Applicants Now Have Until December 31st to Apply for Relief

           Six Day Firearm Deer Hunting Season              Opens Dec. 7th

Deer Safety: Tips For Avoiding A Collision

Remain alert for deer on the run. They are are pack animals, and rarely travel alone. 

Be extra cautious driving on the roads.

 

Mon., Dec. 7th is the 79th Anniversary of the    Pearl Harbor Attack.

US Flags To Fly At Half-Staff

Courtesy of

https://visitpearlharbor.org/educational-resources/importance-remembering-pearl-harbor/

The air and submarine assault on the US fleet by naval forces of the Empire of Japan plunged America headlong into World War II.

Join WWII Vets & folks from all around the world in a live stream to commemorate the 79th anniversary 

& also celebrate 75 years of peace and friendship.

Thanksgiving Day during COVID 

is very different for many.,

Have a safe & blessed Thanksgiving!

 "This year we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower’s arrival in Cape Cod in November of 1620. 

That means this year is also the 399th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving (the famous meal shared between the Pilgrim colonists and the Wampanoag people didn’t occur until 1621). 

It goes without saying that Thanksgiving looks much different now than it did in 1621, and indeed for many of us this year will look much different than it did in 2019. One thing about Thanksgiving that has remained constant, even throughout 400 years and now through a global pandemic, is that it is a time to be grateful and celebrate the good things we have."

Quote is courtesy of Family Tree Magazine

Advice for a Happy Thanksgiving 

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to ? 

Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you a chance to learn. 

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. 

Be thankful for your limitations, because they give you opportunities for improvement. 

Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength of character. 

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons. 

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary, because it means you made a difference. 

It’s easy to be thankful for the good things. 

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who also are thankful for the setbacks. 

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive. 

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles, and they can become your blessings. 

 --Anonymous

This vicious, tree-killing insect has been found in New Jersey.

This is an old video posted by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station but is useful to help you identify them. 

"Adults feed in large congregations from August – October and are easily recognizable. Because they spend at least one month as adults before laying eggs, this could be a critical time for management. Mating and egg laying is delayed and egg laying does not occur until October. Egg masses are laid on smooth surfaces and appear like a patch of mud. They spend the winter in this stage and thus are very likely to be accidentally transported to a new location."

There is further NJ specific and detailed info about this insect and what/where to watch out for it, and how best to eradicate them at this link.

To help survey efforts, the general public should report sightings (please include the town and county where the specimen was found and attach a photograph) to slanternfly@njaes.rutgers.edu. Farmers, nurserymen and vineyardists should also report sightings to SLF-plantindustry@ag.nj.gov. 

Apple trees and grape vines are favored by it, as well as  Black Walnut & Ailanthus trees among othar hardwoods.

Spotted Lanterfly are now being seen along the river in NJ & PA.

The National Park Service has sent an alert to park volunteers that: "Spotted Lanternfly have been spotted at the following sites in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation areas:

Weygadt - Columbia, NJ.  

Kittatinny Point -  Bushkill , PA

Coppermine Area -  NJ Pahaquarry area

Camp Mohican - Blairstown, NJ

Mount Minsi [PA] Delaware Water Gap

around 739/209 area [PA]

Marie Zimmerman House  [ Above the Dingmans Ferry Bridge in PA] "

NPS also relates:

"Currently, we have been working on treating the Ailanthus (Tree of Heaven) trees in the 209 area as these are the trees that seem to be attractive to the invasive spotted lantern fly." 

Please be very alert for this invasive species. Parts of PA had been overrun by them the past 2 years. It is very easy for this insect to hitch-hike on a car or in anything that they can latch unto - if you commute to these areas or travel through them.