Committeeman Bryan Acciani

My column in last week's edition of The Coaster.

TONIGHT! 7pm. 1515 Rt-33 Neptune. Hope to see you there!

With the recent increase in ICE activity in New Jersey, it’s important that everyone understands their constitutional rights. I’m hosting a “Know Your Rights” training on February 26th. Join us to learn what to do if you encounter ICE and how to protect yourself and your community. RSVP here https://bit.ly/4rYTOca

My column from last week's edition of The Coaster.

Tonight's (2/4) Community Input Session for the Division St./Corlies Ave. park will be streamed at https://townhallstreams.com/towns/neptune_nj

Unfortunately we can't take comments from those watching online, but you can always let me know what you think at [email protected]

Hi everybody! Neptune is hosting a community input session to talk about the future of the Division Street lot. Now that the Township has acquired the final property, we want to hear what kind of park residents would like to see there. Join us at the Township Committee Meeting Room in the Municipal Building (25 Neptune Blvd.) on Wednesday, February 4th at 7 PM and let us know what you think!

Hi everyone! I want to clear up some misinformation that’s been circulating about three ordinances currently before the Neptune Township Committee. This week has been a good reminder of the phrase “don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” I’ve spent time this week speaking with our HR Director, CFO, and labor attorney to better understand these ordinances so I can explain them as clearly and accurately as possible. My goal here is not to advocate for or against these ordinances, but simply to ensure residents are well-informed.

ORD. 26-02 – 2026 Salary Ordinance

The purpose of this ordinance is to establish salary ranges for municipal positions. As with most jobs, an employee’s actual pay is based on factors such as experience and qualifications. This ordinance simply creates a transparent framework that defines what compensation is permitted for each position. Contrary to what has been posted online, this ordinance does NOT “raise all municipal salaries”, does NOT change any current salaries, and does NOT require any future salary increases.

ORD. 26-04 – Ordinance Amending the Requirements for Lifetime Health Insurance Benefits

This ordinance does NOT change compensation for any current employee and does NOT grant new lifetime health benefits to any employee. A review of existing ordinances revealed that some previously negotiated employee contracts are inconsistent with the current ordinance language. This amendment allows the Township to honor the commitments to current employees that have already been negotiated.

ORD. 26-01 – Ordinance to Exceed the Municipal Budget Appropriation Limits and Establish a Cap Bank

This ordinance applies to the APPROPRIATIONS CAP, not the tax levy cap. These two are often confused with one another. When people refer to the “2% cap,” they are usually talking about the tax levy cap (I initially thought the same thing). This ordinance does NOT increase the tax levy and does NOT increase taxes. While it allows for a higher appropriations limit, any increase can be offset by non-property-tax revenues.
Importantly, this ordinance only provides the option to increase appropriations; it does not require or mandate any increase. Actual spending decisions are made during the annual budget process in the spring. This flexibility is a common budget-management tool used by nearly every municipality, each year. Including Neptune in past years. This can be critical in responding to unforeseen events, such as Superstorm Sandy.

None of these ordinances directly increase taxes. The Township’s budget and tax levy will be determined during the regular spring budget process, which includes public hearings and opportunities for resident input, as always.

I hope this has been helpful. I welcome discussion on these issues and encourage residents to attend the next Township Committee meeting on Monday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m., where these ordinances will be discussed. You can also stream the meeting online at neptunetownship.org. Members of our professional staff will be present to provide additional explanation. As always, I can be reached at [email protected], and I typically remain after meetings in my office to talk with anyone who would like to hang out and chat.

As I announced at tonight’s Township Committee meeting, Neptune Township will be forming an Arts Committee. The Neptune Township Arts Committee will be a resident-driven body focused on fostering creativity, enhancing neighborhood character, and supporting local artists.

Its mission will include commissioning visual art to beautify neighborhoods, organizing performing arts events, and collaborating with existing arts organizations and community events. A key priority will be ensuring that every neighborhood—Midtown, Ocean Grove, Shark River Hills, and others—has visible and accessible public art.

The Arts Committee will be empowered to identify locations for public art, hire local artists, organize events, and fundraise. In doing so, it will serve as Neptune’s engine for public creativity and cultural expression.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the new Neptune Township Arts Committee, please send a brief bio and a short statement explaining your interest to [email protected] Looking forward to great things happening in Neptune!

Voting for the Neptune Holiday Lights Display Contest opens this Saturday, 12/20 at 5:00 PM!
Help us crown Neptune’s brightest homes by casting your vote for your favorite holiday light displays 👀💡
🗳️ Vote online here:
👉 https://forms.gle/As3MmKbekNYMRYsT9
🏆 Prizes for the Top 3 Homes:
🥇 $100 Gift Card
🥈 $50 Gift Card
🥉 $25 Gift Card
📣 Winners will be announced the week of January 5 on:
• The Neptune Township Recreation Department webpage
• The Township’s page
• The Neptune Community Pass Catalog Page (under the event)
Grab some cocoa, enjoy the lights, and don’t forget to vote! 🎅✨

OFFICE HOURS
I’ll be hanging out at my office at the Neptune Municipal Building this Friday, December 19th from 7:00–8:30 p.m. Feel free to stop by and chat! Conversation topics may include - anything Neptune-related, Miami Dolphins football, Christmas gift ideas, and Rutgers basketball.

One of my campaign promises was to make Neptune’s property tax assessment process one of the most transparent in the state—and to make it easier for residents to understand and file tax appeals. Today, I’m proud to say we delivered on that promise.

We’ve officially launched the NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP ASSESSMENT DASHBOARD. This new tool puts everything residents need in one easy-to-use place: comparable sales data, guidance on how to file an appeal, a property tax estimator, assessment resources, and much more. For the first time, residents can review everything they need in one centralized location.

Does this solve rising property taxes?
No, not on it's own. We still have a lot of work ahead of us to make Neptune more affordable and to control rising costs. But this is a meaningful step toward fairness, transparency, and empowering residents with real information.

I want to thank our Tax Assessor, Dawn Crozier-Freeman, for her incredible work putting this together. This is one of the busiest times of the year for assessors, and getting this dashboard launched before the appeal deadline was no small task. Dawn’s commitment to transparency and equitable assessments is clear, and Neptune is fortunate to have her.

You can access the dashboard through the township website or directly at the link below:
https://municipal.support/neptune/