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. The handouts given to high density projects in the Chathams are called Payments In Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs) . 

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. PILOTs 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.

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