High density handouts that hurt schools and taxpayers must end. 

We cannot continue to develop high density high rises in the Chathams and certainly not with municipal handouts. The handouts are legal tax loopholes designed originally for blighted communities.  The use of these loopholes allow high density developers to avoid paying property tax which support our schools. Instead the burden of funding is ultimately shifted to other Township taxpayers.  These handouts are also linked to special rules that allow the developer to build outside of the previous regular zoning and at much higher density. The result is over development, congestion and strain on our infrastructure and schools. One of the handouts given to high density projects in the Chathams are called Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) . 

PILOTs allow the development to pay far less than they would otherwise owe in property tax and none of the money paid is required to go to our public schools. Usually 65-70% of most homeowner’s property tax fund our Chatham Schools. PILOT projects such as “The Ivy” on River Road not only increase density, strain services and contribute to congestion, but also pay nothing toward the schools. It is fundamentally unreasonable that the family with only pre-K and younger children, or the empty nester and retirees fund our schools but not new high density building.  Six story buildings are erected on land previously not even zoned residential and at density more than triple found elsewhere in our community. These large development PILOT arrangements are under no requirement at all to contribute to our Chatham Schools. Instead the burden to fund the schools, the majority of your tax bill, falls to other property owners. It is a bad deal for taxpayers and terrible for our schools.

Schools must be supported adequately including by the largest high density developments. Our Township Committee must end the use of PILOT agreements when they pay nothing to our schools if those developments include market rate units. We should enter into an agreement with the Board of Education that, contingent on Chatham Borough doing the same, all future PILOT agreements that have market rate units must include a revenue share to schools equal to that contribution made by the average single family home property taxpayer. If 65-70% of your property taxes are used to fund our schools then any development of high density housing in the Chathams should be contributing at least the same. Our school system is shared. The Township and Borough must have a shared approach to PILOTs in an agreement with the Board of Education so that one town is not leaning on the taxpayers of another town to pay for our shared school system.

I do not want to see our Township Police Station demolished.  I oppose the plan to rebuild our Township municipal complex. The 2024 capital budget saw an unprecedented expansion of authorized debt, an increase of 24% which I voted against. Worse, this authorization included more than $70,000 of debt issued just to study a demolition of the current police station and rebuilding the same facility at the municipal center on Meyersville Road. A massive public building project of a new police station and overhauling the municipal complex will cost many, many millions and massively expand debt further. 

In hundreds of hours of public meetings and knocking on thousands of doors, no resident has ever raised to me the need to build a new police station.  The current centrally located police station is closer to our commercially zoned areas, heavily used parks and higher density residential clusters. Demolishing our Police Station is unnecessary, is not an efficient means of enhancing public safety or public amenities. 

There is something even worse than issuing debt just for a study of a project that will generate even more debt.  The real intent of this project is to allow for more high density housing. The project is designed to clear public land so that it can be handed over to developers for additional high density housing. I oppose the currently funded study.  I oppose moving the police station and I oppose the massive renovation of the current municipal building. Demolishing a public asset and providing public land just to be handed over to high density developers is not good for Chatham Township.

The public should have input through a non-binding referendum or other vote on whether or not the police station should be demolished.  Further, the public should have input on the concept of rebuilding the municipal complex. Taxpayer funds are misspent when more than $70,000 of debt is issued just to generate plans for an overhaul without any formal public input on the concept. To reiterate, as I go door-to-door and speak with residents I have never had anyone raise the need to demolish the police station nor to rebuild the municipal building. The public should be part of the process in the beginning and not after plans are made.

Navigating the maze has to be made easier. Improvements to homes and property have been a hallmark of Chatham Township and are largely responsible for the beauty of our successful Township.   Gaining permissions and meeting compliance for your project should be understandable, timely and clear.

Our municipal government must provide the necessary services in a friendly and welcoming manner. Gaining permissions and meeting compliance for your project should be understandable, timely and clear. An anonymous direct feedback system, accessible to every resident and contractor should be implemented. This would provide a step towards accountability for resident friendly services to those responsible for oversight, including the Township Committee.

Donate To Re-Elect Mark Lois

“Eleven of twelve elected positions in the Chathams are held by a single party. I am the only Republican in the Chathams. Residents want balance. Balance is important to the future of our Township because without other voices there is nothing to challenge the thinking of single party rule.“ 

- Mark Lois 

Chatham Township Committeeman 

Running For Re-Election 

Currently Serving 2022-2024 Term 

marklois@ChathamNJGOP.com