Township Readying 'Buy in Brick' Program for Property Tax Credit

Shop in Brick and get a tax break.

That is the aim of a new program being put into place by Brick Mayor John Ducey.

The "Buy in Brick" program will allow residents who shop and dine in Brick to deduct a portion of the money they spend from their municipal property tax bill.

Already enacted in some other towns across New Jersey, the program works by providing interested residents with a membership card, similar to supermarket discount cards, and soliciting merchants to participate in the program. Under the program, for example, a restaurant would give a small percentage of a members' bill to the township to be credited to the customer's tax account while keeping the rest as profit.

Ducey said he is hopeful the program will spur more township residents to shop and dine at Brick businesses by providing an extra incentive for residents to do so.

"It’s a way to lower your property tax bill by buying locally, shopping locally and eating locally," Ducey said. "Hopefully some of our empty buildings can get filled."

The township council on Tuesday night awarded a $10,000 contract to FinCredit, a Marlboro company, to produce the membership cards and administer the program.