Question 1

Taxes

Accepted Answer

The residents of Mercer County pay some of the highest property tax rates in the nation. The mismanagement of county finances by the current Board of Commissioners has further increased the financial stress felt by Mercer taxpayers. The Commissioners approved a county tax increase in 2024 that resulted in skyrocketing rates across several towns in Mercer.

2024 Municipal County Tax Increases:
 • East Windsor: +18% Increase
 • Ewing: +22% Increase
 • Hamilton: +12% Increase
 • Hightstown Boro: +10% Increase
 • Hopewell Boro: +9% Increase
 • Hopewell: +5% Increase
 • Lawrence: +6% Increase
 • Pennington Boro: +12% Increase
 • Trenton: +16% Increase
 • Robbinsville: +15% Increase
 • West Windsor: +14% Increase
 • Princeton: +12% Increase

These increases are the direct result of years of inadequate oversight by the Board of Commissioners over the county budget; taxpayers now pay for their mistake. It's time for Mercer to have commissioners who will defend the taxpayers from these crushing increases. DiFalco & Hanley will push against all future increases and find methods to alleviate the current tax burden. DiFalco & Hanley also supports using the annual budget surplus to pay for a large-scale tax break as a means to provide immediate tax relief to Mercer residents.

Question 2

Spending

Accepted Answer

Under the oversight of the current Board of Commissioners, mismanagement and waste have been widespread in our County Budget. The New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller found nearly $4.5 million in penalties for delinquent tax filings between 2018 and 2021.The county also lost $660,000 to theft involving two foreign nationals. While there has been a change in County Executive leadership, the same Board of County Commissioners that failed to provide meaningful oversight over our finances remains in place.

Mercer County’s general spending has also risen considerably under the current Board of Commissioners. Mercer County taxpayers collectively paid 13.38% more in taxes in 2024 than in the previous year and 3.82% more in 2025 than in 2024.

Mercer needs a new slate of Commissioners that will provide effective oversight over our county’s finances, appoint qualified officials, and ensure that spending levels are under control. DiFalco & Hanley will provide the change and oversight necessary to ensure that the financial operations of our county will never repeat these costly errors.

To curtail the county’s ability to create budgetary deficits and reckless spending in the future, we propose requiring any attempt by the county to borrow money to require the approval of the voters of Mercer County. A ballot question, similar to what is practiced in Warren County, will be necessary to succeed if the county wishes to borrow money. This will obstruct the county’s ability to pursue reckless spending and fiscal irresponsibility.

Question 3

Checks & Balances

Accepted Answer

The lack of localized representation on the Board of Commissioners has led to many communities within the county without any direct way to influence policy. Smaller communities & municipalities in Mercer can be electorally ignored by county government. The clear way to achieve better representation in Mercer is to adopt a district based system of electing county commissioners. New Jersey counties like Atlantic, Essex, and Hudson currently use this district based system. As county commissioners, we will push for this reform in the form of a ballot question to Mercer voters.

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